


Operation Horton

by gahtheone



Category: Days of Our Lives
Genre: Action, Adventure, CIA, Dark Past, Drama, F/M, Humor, M/M, Rock and Roll, Sarcasm, Shooting, Spies & Secret Agents, music references, references to other shows
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-19
Updated: 2018-02-26
Packaged: 2019-03-21 03:18:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 40
Words: 170,777
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13732005
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gahtheone/pseuds/gahtheone
Summary: Will Horton died in October 2015. Two years later, his family has moved on, specially his lover Sonny Kiriakis. But when a new face comes to town and gets to know everyone, people start to think he may not be a stranger after all. PaulSon in the beginning, but WilSon endgame. Chill bromance.(Complete story in FanFiction!)





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hey, guys! A few years ago, the character of Will Horton was murdered. This story was written before he was brought back. I hope you like this plot as much as I did when I wrote it. Also, I'm introducing a new character of my creation, whose role will be crutial. Also, some other characters are still alive for plot purposes. With everything said, let's go!

_January 2014_

After searching for about... He didn't even know how much time it had been, but finally Sonny found Will at the river, talking to Mr Ruggles, that creepy old man who had scared the hell out of him, Gabi, Sami and Kate the day they took some Christmas photos.

After an awkward talk, Ruggles left, and he and Will kept arguing about what had happened with Nick, and how scared Will was that this situation would somehow blow up in their faces (which eventually happened later). Sonny sighed, trying to convince him otherwise.

"Let's go home. See our little girl".

Reluctantly, Will stood up and took Sonny's hand, letting his boyfriend lead him.

Sonny was so worried and eager to take him home, he never noticed the tiny smirk Will had on his face.

* * *

_Present - 2017_

A young, relaxed blond-haired boy walked across Horton Town Square. He was wearing a 90's styled jean jacket in whose pockets he hid his hands and sunglasses, and wandered around with what seemed to be a prepotent smirk and a triumphant attitude.

His smirk went deeper when he noticed that some teen girls were watching him, as they murmured and giggled. He took his glasses off, revealing his light brown, almost amber eyes, and turned to them.

"Hey, girls" he said, with a seductive tone. "Like what you see?"

The girls nodded excitedly as they giggled more.

"Then keep watching" he continued, his seductive tone never leaving. "I'm a minor".

Seeing their puzzled and confused faces, he turned around and kept walking, laughing in his mind, and never abandoning his attitude.

He wasn't exactly a minor. He had just turned eighteen a few days before moving to Salem, but he loved making jokes, being sarcastic and laughing at practically everyone who surrounded him.

He stopped for a bit to contemplate the golden plaque with Tom and Alice Horton's names, getting a vague sense of nostalgy, though he wasn't sure exactly why; and then headed to the park, where a young couple with a little girl had their lunch.

"Arianna Grace Horton, eat your vegetables, for God's sake!" protested the young girl as she tried to feed her daughter, who shook her head and crossed her arms, not willing to obey.

"It's ok, Gabi" said her boyfriend, amused. "It's not the end of the world if she doesn't want them now".

Gabi sighed. "It's not that, JJ. She has to eat them in order to be healthy". She turned to her baby. "But a certain someone doesn't seem to get it".

JJ chuckled. "You know you had it coming. She's as stubborn as Will was".

Gabi chuckled too. "I bet he must be proud, wherever he is".

"But you're doing an amazing job raising her on your own, you know" said JJ. "I know Sonny's been also helping you".

"Oh, I know" she said. "And I know he's dying for more time with her, but with everything that's been going on, his schedule barely lets him go and eat something appropiate".

JJ nodded understandingly. "And, is she comfortable, you know, around..."

"Paul?" Gabi thought for a second. "I'm not sure. I think she ignores him most of the time. To be honest, it's better than I expected. She can be cold sometimes, and she is very intuitive and observant. I bet she somehow knows or feels what happened between him and her family".

"Only one way to find out" he replied. "Wait 'til she's grown up".

Meanwhile, bored with her mommy's talk with JJ, Arianna's eyes caught the glimpse of a gracious squirrel. She watched amused and curious how the little animal colected some peanuts from a bag some guy had dropped to the ground.

"I'm sure it's because her toys and all those pretty ornaments Marlena has deserve her attention more" she dismissed. "Which reminds me I still have to pay her for that beautiful vase Ari broke"

"She said it wasn't a big deal" laughed JJ. "Besides, I'm sure John got her at least three new ones by now. Have you seen how in love the guy is?"

"Yeah" Gabi smiled. "That's how I feel about you, you know?"

"I don't know about that" he teased. "I'm not old and gray yet"

Both grinned as they shared a sweet kiss.

"Ready to go?" asked JJ.

"Mmhm" she nodded. "I just need to grab Ari's things"

As she turned to her child's seat her expression changed when she realized nobody was there anymore.

"What the... Ari?" she looked around, starting to freak out. "Oh my God, where's my baby? Ari?"

As soon as he saw the empty seat, JJ quickly stood up and looked around.

Gabi also stood, trying not to lose it. "Ari!"

* * *

The blond boy got to the park and sat on a bench. He had a copy of The Spectator, Salem's newspaper, in his hands, and started reading.

 _"Might as well know what's going on in this town if I'm gonna stick around"_ he thought.

On the front page the headline  _"KIRIAKIS VS DIMERA. All you need to know about their business war"_ made him frown.

 _"So the boss was right"_  he thought.  _"Life will definitely be interesting here"_

Deciding he'd read that as soon as he got to his hotel, he decided to see what else could happen in a small town like that, and took out his phone to look for the greatest stories of Salem. He found a page that promised all the details of past events that were too goo to be true, but had happened.

However, his frown got deeper and deeper as he kept reading.

 _"Devil possesion? Twins from different fathers? Fake deaths? Orchestrated explosions? Twins from outer space? Where the hell am I?"_ he couldn't help but wonder.  _"And how many murder, rape and infidelity scandals and serial killers does one town need?"_

To be fair, he couldn't be that surprised. After all, he had seen and done worst, or at least, that's what he thought. He supposed it was the fact that it all happened in a small town, a place he had expected to be quiet, peaceful and quite boring. That, and that he saw that one name kept being mentioned very often.

 _"Horton"._ He thought for a moment.  _"Must be a big family or a very important one. Probably both"._

 _"I guess I can never get enough action"_ he figured.  _"I knew I wasn't sent here just for a long-term paid vacation. Maybe I'll get a mission sooner than I thought"._

He honestly didn't mind. He loved his life and job. But if he was being paid for leaning down and rest, then he was not going to complain.

Time passed. He got so caught up reading about how some crazy girl had disguised herself as a man only to get revenge on some guys who had done her wrong ( _"Impressive, but who does that?"_ he decided), that he winced and almost screamed when something tapped his leg.

He looked down, and took a few moments to collect himself when he realized a cute blonde little girl with the biggest blue eyes he had ever seen (os as big as a four year old toddler can have) was staring at him, with a tiny pout.

 _"Now where have I seen this before?"_ he wondered, a little startled.

"Hey" greeted the boy. "How are you? What are you doing here so alone?"

The poor girl seemed she wanted to cry. "I'm lost".

Ari had stood up from her seat as Gabi and JJ got lost in their conversation and weren't looking, and approached the funny squirrel, which had noticed her and ran away, scared. This didn't stop little Ari, and, being the curious little girl she was, followed it, thinking she would find some baby squirrels to stare in awe and then tell her mommy and JJ to come and look. However, as she got further and further, she finally lost track of it. When she looked up, she was, eventually, lost.

The boy raised his eyebrows. "Really? It's ok, I'm not gonna hurt you. Why don't you stay here with me and we can look for your parents?"

"Mommy" she said. "Only want mommy".

"Uh" he hesitated.  _"Either an ugly divorce or she's a poor orphan"._

"Ok" he said, as he stood up. "Then we'll look for your mommy".

He offered her his hand, but Ari just looked at him, doubting his sincerity.

The boy just smiled at her. "It's ok, little one. I'm just a friend. Come on, let's find you mommy so you can go home".

Ari finally took his hand. The boy held a soft, but firm grip, so he wouldn't lose her again.

"What's your name, little one?" he asked.

"Arianna" she replied.

 _"Arianna? What kind of name is that? I was expecting her to be called Stacey or Amber"._ He shrugged.  _"Eh, what am I thinking? Those names are too dumb for a sweet baby like this one."_

He pushed his thoughts aside. Instead, he smiled at her. "Nice to meet you, Arianna. My name is Malcolm".

* * *

"So, I believe you managed to convince those investors to give us a shot".

Victor Kiriakis walked into the living room with a glass of whiskey in his hand and a newspaper in the other.

Sonny Kiriakis, his great-nephew, turned to him.

"Aren't you retired?" he teased. "Because I'm sure I answer to Deimos now, old man".

"Oh, shut up and tell me" he said, waving his hand. "It's still my company and I can get any information whenever I damn well please. And don't call me old".

Sonny chuckled. "They're with us. Paperwork will he ready tomorrow".

"Ah,  _téleios!"_ said Victor, with a smile and hugged him. "I knew you could do it, son"

"Yeah, and I'm really glad too, because I was super nervous before that meeting, and I was so convinced I would blow it, but when I got there everything went so smoothly".

"What's important is what you achieved" said Victor.

Sonny nodded. He looked at the paper on Victor's hands. "Is there your interview?"

Victor rolled his eyes. "And Stefano's too. Now everyone in town know what's going on with our businesses".

"Hey, at least it's not anything illegal now" offered Sonny.

"Yet" mumbled Victor.

Sonny didn't hear him. His phone rang. "Oh, sorry".

He picked up. "Yes? Hey Gabi, what's up? What? When? Did you see anyone suspicious near you? Ok, listen, go to the station and report it, I'm sure they will help you. Yes, I'll meet you there. Ok, see you".

Victor was looking at him with concern when he hung up. "Son? What happened?"

"It's... It's Ari. She's missing" he replied.

"What?!"

"Gabi was with JJ and her, and they were talking and then all of a sudden she was gone!".

"How the hell does that happen?" asked Victor. "What kind of a mother loses her focus on her daughter in favor of her boyfriend?"

"Don't start with me, Uncle Vic" warned Sonny. "I gotta go".

"Yes, yes, go" said Victor, as Sonny rushed out.

* * *

Chad Dimera walked into the studio rubbing the back of his head, the same way he always did whenever something didn't go as planned.

"I'm guessing you didn't succeed" said someone behind him.

Chad winced and turned around, hand in his chest, to see the severe expression of the man sitting at the chess table, with his arms crossed: his father, Stefano DiMera.

"Geez, Father, you wanna give me a heart attack?"

"You're young and healthy, so knock it off" said Stefano, rolling his eyes. "By that look on your face, I assume they went with Titan, didn't they".

"I just don't know what the hell can Deimos Kiriakis offer that we can't" protested Chad.

"Seems like our name still inspires fear" said his father. "Which is partially good. It means we're still powerful".

Chad was puzzled. "You're not mad?"

Stefano shrugged. "I told you not to go to those morons. Them choosing Titan proved my point. Yet you still seem to have this obsession to go against everything I say. I know I missed your early life, specially your teenage, rebellious years. Is this a make up for lost time?"

Chad huffed. "Father..."

"I know" he replied, rasing his hand. "What I'm trying to ask is, are you finally going to take my advice and call those good gentlemen I suggested?"

"Father, I told you I'm making DiMera Enterprises legit" said Chad. "Even Andre's been helping me, which kind of shocks me, and i was hoping that you would agree with me".

"I do, son. I agree with you and I support you" said Stefano. "Look, if you want, you can check their track records. You'll see they are clean as a whistle".

Chad looked at him suspiciously before giving in. "I'll take a look at it".

Noticing that Stefano just nodded instead of exaggerating his little victory in that argument, he figured his father was being honest. That still didn't mean he'd let his guard down. He knew that with his family he had to be cautious in every step he took.

"Now, there's something else I wanted to talk about" said Stefano. "Jackson Kiriakis".

Chad looked down, sighing. "There's nothing to talk about".

Stefano stood up and approached him. "I know you deeply care about him. He can always come with us, you know? With a few arrangements there can be a job waiting for him in the company".

"Sonny is not gonna ditch his precious uncle" said Chad. "Our interests are not the same anymore. Besides, with what's happened recently, I don't think we can be friends anymore".

"Good thing you sold your club, eh?" said his father.

Chad didn't answer.

Stefano approached and put his hand in Chad's shoulder. "It's business. I'm sure he thinks the same way. You'll move on. But remember, nothing's more important than your family".

Chad nodded. "And that's the only advice I'm taking from you" he said, and left the room, chuckling when Stefano rolled his eyes.

* * *

"How could this happen, JJ?" asked Gabi, as she and her boyfriend entered the station. "One second, I stop looking at my baby one second and she disappears! Oh my God, if someone has her?"

"Stop that" said JJ, grabbing her hands. "I'm sure she's ok. Remember what we taught her? She goes to a cop and asks for help. I'm sure she'll appear safe and sound".

"Alright" said commissioner Roman Brady, as he approached them. "What happened? How can I help you?"

"Commisioner, it's Arianna. She's missing" said JJ.

"Arianna Grace?" said Roman. "Does Rafe know?"

"No, I was hoping to find him here" sobbed Gabi.

"Ok, now, listen to me" said Roman, as he placed his hands on Gabi's shoulders, so she looked at him in the eyes. "Everything's going to be ok, alright? I'll send people to look for her. But first I need you to tell me what happened".

"We were having lunch, and I just look away for a moment to talk to JJ and when I look again she was gone!" she said. "Oh, my poor baby, she must be scared and alone..."

"Gabi?" said a man, coming to her. "What are you doing here?"

"Rafe!" she exclaimed, throwing herself in his arms. "Oh my God, Rafe, you gotta help us. Ari's missing, and I don't know what to do..."

Rafe, Gabi's big brother, gasped. "Ari?"

"Don't worry, I already told her, we are going to send a search team" said Roman.

"Then I'll go, too" said Rafe. "I'll grab my things".

"I'll go with you" said JJ, following him.

"Ok, Gabi" said Roman. "You stay here. I'm gonna make some calls, ok? Try to breath and stay positive, we got this".

Gabi nodded, as Roman went to the phone, and started breathing in and out. Just as she turned around she saw Sonny enter the station. As soon as he saw her, Sonny went to hug her.

"Sonny, I don't know how this could happen" she sobbed.

"It will be ok" he tried to comfort her. "Ari is smart and adventorous, I bet she's already found a way to stay calm and cool".

"I just can't lose her, we can't lose her..."

"We won't" reassured Sonny. "I still remember the day we taught her to look for a cop in a case like this one".

Gabi sniffed. "Yeah, I was talking about that with JJ".

Roman approached them. "Ok, everything's arranged".

"And we're ready" said Rafe as he and JJ walked towards them.

"Ok, then" said Roman. "We're going to check first..."

Suddenly the sound of a giggle interrupted him.

Everyone looked stunned as they saw a blond boy no one had ever seen before carrying Ari, who looked too comfortable for Gabi's liking.

"Hello!" exclaimed Malcolm. "Is there anyone useful enough to help me find this little one's mommy?"

Seeing that a few people were staring at him with blank looks on their faces, three of them obviously cops, Malcolm waved at them impatiently. "Hello! I said someone here longs for her mommy!"

"Ari!" exclaimed Gabi, getting out of her shock and running to her, as Malcolm put Ari down on the floor. She picked up her daughter and kissed her over and over. "Oh, sweetie, Mommie was so worried about you".

Everyone approached. Gabi gave Ari to Sonny. When she turned around, she noticed Malcolm was staring at her uncomfortably.

"Oh" she chuckled, and hugged him. "Thank you so much for bring her".

"It was nothing" said Malcolm. "We got along just fine, she's the sweetest. She actually told me she needed her mommy. But you need to be more careful".

"Oh, I'll be" she laughed.

"What I don't get" said JJ. "Is how she asked a stranger for help. I mean, don't get me wrong, it's just, we had told her to look for a cop".

"Blond badge" said Ari.

"Oh" said Malcolm, looking at his belt where he had hanged a golden badge. "She must have confused this ornament my belt has with an actual police badge". He chuckled.

Rafe looked at him suspiciously.  _"That's certainly not an ornament"._

"Well, whatever happened, doesn't matter" said Roman. "What matters is that Ari is with her family now, and all thanks to you, young man. What's your name?"

"Malcolm" he replied. "Malcolm Cooper. I just moved here".

"Well, Mr Cooper, thanks for everything".

Malcolm huffed. "Please, call me Malcolm. I'm eighteen, I'm too young to be treated as a mister".

"Then thanks, Malcolm" said Rafe. "We'll see you around".

"We will" said Malcolm. He looked at Ari and waved. "Bye, bye, little one. Hopefully we'll meet again".

Ari smiled at him and waved back, as Malcolm left.

"Huh" said JJ. "She likes him".

"He seemed nice" said Gabi.

"I guess I'll cancel the search" said Roman. "Excuse me".

Once Roman was gone, Rafe sighed. "Gabi, please be more careful. You may not be so lucky next time".

"I know" she said. "And I'm sorry".

Just after a beat, she realized Sonny had been quiet. Oddly quiet.

She turned to him. "What's with you?"

Sonny snapped out of whatever trance he was in and looked at her. "Huh?".

Gabi rolled her eyes. "Sonny, please you better not be thinking what I'm thinking. You're with someone!"

"I'm not... Hey!" he protested after realizing what she was implying.

"Then what is it?" she demanded. "You don't look so good. You never talked. That's not you".

"Are you feeling ok, Sonny?" asked JJ.

"Yeah" said Sonny. "It's just... This Malcolm guy, did he somehow look familiar to any of you?"

* * *

Chad entered the studio again, having forgotten his coat. Stefano wasn't there. However, his brother Andre DiMera was, not that it made things better.

"Oh, Chad, hello" he greeted.

"Andre" replied Chad, taking his coat. "And bye, Andre".

"Oh, wait, wait, Chad" said Andre, getting up, and handing him a letter. "This is for you. Came in the mail a while ago".

Chad took the letter and opened it, deciding to read a bit of it. He groaned. "It's Sami again. I don't know why she has picked up the habit of writing letters. I always knew she was nuts. And to think Will hit me that one time I told him".

"Oh, dear Samantha?" asked Andre, a little more interested.

"Don't" warned Chad. "I know you still hate her for what she did with our money, but she returned it. Don't try anything".

"Oh, I won't" promised Andre. "Us DiMeras are men of our word. She returned the money and we looked the other way. It's water under the bridge. Besides, why would I try to do anything?"

Chad looked at him. "Because she's coming back to Salem".

* * *

Malcolm entered his room at the Salem Inn. He tossed his jacket on a chair and sat on the bed.

He looked at his watch, and pressed a button, revealing a touch screen on it. He pressed another one and talked.

"I'm settled. It seems I won't have such a relaxing vacation after all. You've sent me to Action Paradise. Seems to me, I'll have some missions in here". He held the newspaper "There are very interesting things going on I"m sure you'll like to know about".

Almost instantly, a voice from the watch replied.  _"Excelent. Like I told you, you don't look for action, action looks for you. I'll be waiting all the information you can provide so we can give you your missions. You're one of my best agents, Cooper. Make us proud. Just like you always do"._

"I'll do my best" answered Malcolm, with a smile, and disconnected.

Then, he opened one of his suitcases, revealing Army weapons, and took out the "ornament" from his belt. Only, it wasn't an ornament. Rafe and Ari had been right. It was an actual badge.

Malcolm sighed happily, and left it on the nightstand, where the moonlight that came across the window highlighted the word "CIA".

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just so you know, I imagined Malcolm as a young Nick Carter lookalike, with the features already mentioned, of course.


	2. Chapter 2

"You've GOT to be kidding, Sonny".

Gabi and Sonny were having their weekly lunch date at the Brady Pub with Ari, who again was bored with her mommy and her daddy talking about things she didn't understand (what in God's name could be more important than Peppa Pig or Disney princesses?).

However, this time Gabi had her in her lap, so Ari couldn't move and entertain herself with that beautiful (and breakable) porcelain cat on the bar, that stared at her with big yellow eyes.

"Come on, Gabi" pleaded Sonny. "Ari likes him, you can be friends with him. It's a small town, we're all gonna see him very often. I just want to take this idea off my head".

"Sonny, it's been  _a day_ " she said. "What's with this sudden obsession you seem to have? What, another crush while you're on another relashionship?" She crossed her hands in disapproval. "Some things never change with you".

Sonny closed his eyes in exasperation. "That's not what I'm saying!"

"I know you kind of have some sort of 'thing' for younger men" she continued, ignoring him and covering Ari's ears. "But he's a kid. Everyone's going to call you a pedophile or something like that".

"Dammit, Gabi" he hissed. "I don't have a crush in a teenager we all met yesterday".

"Then what is it?" she demanded. "You seemed pretty freaked out after he left the station".

Sonny sighed. "It's just... Something about him. I'm not sure if I can describe it. His appearance, maybe? I don't know".

Gabi rolled her eyes. "Yes, Sonny, I think he's hot too". She thought for a second. "Way too hot to be an eighteen year old, but whatever".

Sonny glared at her. "It's not something like that. Yes he was good-looking but it's not that".

"Sonny, you're losing me" she complained. "I don't understand anything".

"The way he carried himself" he said in a low voice. "He and Ari connected. I saw it when they entered the station and she was so relaxed. And... He was blond".

Gabi softened a little, though she still couldn't understand the situation very well. "Sonny, Will wasn't the only blond guy in Salem, the States or the world. And I also know thinking about him makes you sad. Is that why you"re so upset?"

"Who's sad?" asked Ari, having been distracted with the strange and (to popular belief) creepy cat on the bar.

"No one, sweetheart" said Sonny, faking a smile for her. "Why don"t you go upstairs and visit grandma Caroline? I'm sure she'll be happy to see you".

"M-kay" she said, jumping to the floor.

Once she was gone, Sonny looked at Gabi. "I know it's irrational and weird, but there's something in him that reminds me of Will. Like, a lot. The difference is that he is challenging and apparently has this sarcastic attitude. Will was very different".

"Yeah he was loving but also had a low self-steem". She looked at him. "Part of that is on you and you know it".

"I know" he agreed. "But there's no point in remembering my mistakes when there's no chance to make it right anymore. I've moved on. But I'm seeing him in that guy and I don't know why the hell is that"

"Hello, Gabi, Sonny" greeted someone from behind. Gabi looked up as Sonny turned around.

"Oh, hi, Marlena" she said.

Marlena Evans smiled at them. "Mind if I sit with you?"

"Yeah, of course" said Gabi, but Sonny stood up as his phone rang.

He checked his message. "I'm sorry, but I gotta run. I got a meeting".

After saying his goodbyes, he left. Marlena waited until he was out of the pub to glance at Gabi.

"Is there anything wrong?"

"Oh, nothing" she said. "My best friend just got crazy, that's all".

Marlena frowned. "Crazy?"

* * *

Malcolm walked through the cemetery with his hands on his pockets. It hadn't been so bad. He had made the desicion of officially moving, and had scheduled a meeting to buy an apartment that afternoon.

But the real question is: What on Earth was he doing at the cemetery?

He had always been a curious person. He loved Literature and was a big fan of History. When he went to public school and then to a private one after being recruited by the CIA, he had been the best in those classes.

Being the good investigator he was, the almost excessive presence of the name Horton had caught his attention. He resolved they were, indeed, a very important family.

That's pretty much why he was at the cemetery. He wanted to see how many Hortons he could find there. Now that he thought about it, it was kind of like a game. A twisted, psycho game.

_"And to think I swore I would never be like that"_ he thought.  _"I guess I needed this break more than I thought"._

He got to a very big gravestone. He saw that two people had been buried there. And he knew the names.

_THOMAS HORTON_

_1910 - June 21st 1994_

_ALICE HORTON_

_January 23rd 1911 - June 23rd 2010_

Thomas Horton's date of birth was almost erased from the gravestone because of the pass of time. Malcolm didn't mind.

_"These are the people the town square's named after"_ he figured.  _"They're even on that plaque"._

That strange sense he had felt the day before came back, a little stronger.

_"Stupid as always. I better go, this place is depressing"._

He turned around to leave, when he nearly tripped with another stone. He looked at it curiously.

_MICHAEL HORTON_

_January 19th 1932 - January 8th 2010_

Next to it, was another one, which looked older.

_ADELAIDE "ADDIE" HORTON_

_1931 - 1974_

_"Their children?"_ he wondered.

He decided to head out. All the graves he saw had flowers, big flowers, that looked recently taken from the most colorful garden.

He looked down and checked his watch (due to the multiple uses it had, he called it his "super watch"), but accidentaly caught the glimpse of another grave. It was someone who had died quite young, and had the damn name he was so annoyingly interested in.

_WILLIAM ROBERT HORTON_

_November 16th 1992 - October 9th 2015_

* * *

Samantha Gene Brady DiMera walked through the square with her suitcase and a bag full of snacks she had bought as soon as she got out of the airport.

After being on the run for almost a year and a half, she had finally (and quite suspiciously) returned the whole money she had stolen from Stefano DiMera. She had the shock of her life when he kept his word, and forgave and forgot the incident. Sami was so convinced there had to be a catch, so she stayed away for a few more months.

However, her contact with her family increased, in old-fashined or unusual ways, and as a result, she decided to come back. Her children, Allie Horton and Johnny and Sidney DiMera, were still hidden somewhere she only knew (or that's what she planned everyone to believe).

Only, no one in her family knew she was back. She had taken the risk of telling two people she trusted with that information, as she feared Stefano would claim his revenge if he ever found out. Because if the Bradys knew, everyone in Salem would know, and eventually Stefano would.

_"Will that old man ever die?"_ she thought, annoyed.  _"Who am I kidding, of course he's going to know. I'm sure he knows by now. Well, if I'm still alive I guess he was telling the truth"._

At first she wasn't sure if she could trust those guys. But after thinking about it very carefully, she decided they were either her best choice or her only choice.

The first one was a good guy, she had decided. And she had loved him as a son once, and sometimes she missed it.

As for the other one, it had been one of her quickiest decisions. Who better than her ex-husband/friend/enemy/partner in crime she had children with?

_"With all the times I've been married, I only had children with two of my many husbands"_  she realized.  _"Does that make me a better person than Kate? I bet she will love it"._

That's why she stopped and waved excitedly at the sight of Chad DiMera and Lucas Horton. She ran and hugged them both. "Oh, guys, I'm so happy to see you!"

"How ironic" joked Chad. "Last time we saw each other you were trying to smother me with a pillow. Well, you saw me. I was in a coma".

"I told you I'm sorry for that, I know you never would have done something like that" she said. "It was in my first letter or the second, I can't remember".

"Oh, yeah, what was that about?" asked Lucas. "I mean, I appreciate they were written in colored paper, it was pretty, but what happened to you misterious text messages?"

Sami shrugged. "I wasn't going to be tapping a little screen for hours just to tell you how I was doing. I needed something untraceable, and e-mails weren't an option".

"Well, we can continue this at your apartment" said Chad, grabbing her suitcase. "The car'a in the parking lot. Everything's taken care of".

"Thank you, Chad" she said sincerely. "But there's somewhere I'd like to go to first".

"Where?" asked Lucas. "My mom's out of town for now, so you can't go piss her off".

Sami scoffed, slightly offended. "Not that!" She thought for a moment. "Maybe later. But Lucas, I thought you of all people would know and even want to join me".

"Just say the word" chuckled Chad.

She gave a small smile. "I want to go visit our son".

* * *

Marlena crossed herself. "Will passed away two years ago".

"I know" sighed Gabi. "That's what worries me. It makes me think that he hasn't moved on at all".

"But he's with Paul now, isn't he?"

"Yeah. I don't know. Like I told you, he saw Malcolm and it was like he was seeing a ghost or something. He said something in him reminded him of Will. But how can that be, if I looked at him too and never saw a thing?"

"Your daughter had been missing" reasoned Marlena. "You were too worried and then relieved to have her back you couldn't focus on anything else".

"Maybe" accepted Gabi. "So, what do you think?"

"Well, I'd have to see this Malcolm person first" she said. "But I honestly think it's not too much of a big deal".

"Really?"

"Yes" she smiled. "As you know, I had a twin sister who passed away too. A few years ago, John and I met someone who looked exactly like her. I was so shocked and so convinced it was her, that after all those years, she was back. It turned out to be someone completely different".

Gabi nodded. "So you're saying that Sonny could be having an illusion or something like that?"

"It's probable" she nodded. "I believe Sonny has repressed his grief for so long that ihe's still showing it sometimes. Unconsciously, of course. Remember when he came back".

"Oh, yeah" she said. "He was angry. He only had eyes for Ari at the time. At least everything's calmer now".

Marlena nodded. "I'm glad".

Gabi sat straighter. "So, how are things going at home?"

"Oh, just great" she smiled. "I'm happy to call John my husband again, and Tate is spending lots of time with us. Sometimes John misses Paul's company but he always calls and talks to him".

"Paul loves being a P. I., doesn't he?" commented Gabi.

"He does" replied Marlena. "He and John are coming back from their mission tomorrow".

"Oh, Sonny's gonna love that!" said Gabi. "He's really going to need him before he loses his mind".

"You know" said Marlena. "I will always love and miss Will. But I do think that despite everything he'd want Sonny to move on and be happy again".

"I know" she replied. "Me too".

* * *

"Young" mumbled Malcolm. "So, so young".

He knew it could be worse. He had seen other graves of children who never got to grow up more, babies who hadn't even reached a year of life. But she still figured his death might have been really hard for the family.

Overwhelmed by curiosity, he took out his phone and searched the name. It wasn't too dificult to find all the information he needed. A journalist, a writer, involved in too much drama, gay (this made Malcolm raise his eyebrows in surprise, but times change, and just shrugged), murdered by a serial killer. Left a daughter, named...

"Arianna Grace Horton" he read, even more surprised.

He looked again at the grave, and next to some bushes near it, he noticed something moved. He frowned, realizing it was just a piece of paper.

_"Sometimes I think people need a kick in the ass to stop throwing garbage to the grass"_ he fumed.

He leaned down and picked it up. It was a photo. It was deteriorated due to the weather and time, but he could see clearly who featured in it. And what amazed him was that he recognized two of the people there.

A couple. Two guys, a blond and a brunette. Of course he knew the brunette.  _"That's the dude who couldn't stop giving me that funny look at the station. I guess it kind of makes sense. I'm irresistible"._

In the photo, the blond was hugging the brunette from behind. They had big smiles on their faces. And the brunette was holding a little girl.

_"It's her. She's the lost kid I brought to the station"._

It didn't take a genius to put two and two together.

_"She's Arianna. Arianna Grace Horton. That guy in the photo is her dad. He is this grave. And that dude, he must have been his partner"._

He looked at the grave. "Looks like you lost this". He leaned down. He felt a little cold. "Don't worry. I'll make sure they get it back".

It was right in that moment when he felt someone (or some people?) approaching.

* * *

Abigail DiMera walked into the studio of the mansion, where she (still reluctant), her husband Chad and son Thomas lived. She didn't like living with the people her family considered their worst enemies, and she used to treat them coldly.

But with time she started being kinder to her husband's family. To Stefano, who was practically at the gates of death; and Andre, who had been so nice to her during that breakdown that made her make one of the worst mistakes of her life.

But Chad forgave her, and was thrilled to have her back, but got furious when he found out it had all been Andre's plot. But then, everyone, including Stefano, was shocked when she defended him. All that conflict had led Chad to believe her wife had been brainwashed, but Abby showed him it wasn't the case. So now they were in a good place.

Abby had Thomas, who was about to turn two years old, in her arms, when she spotted Andre at the desk.

"Hey" she greeted. "Have you seen Chad?"

"He went out" he replied. "He said he'd pick up an old friend".

"An old friend?" she frowned. "Who?"

"Our dear Samantha" replied someone from behind, making her wince and almost drop Thomas, who started making little sounds of annoyance.

Abby composed herself and turned to glare Stefano's big grin.

"You know, when I married Chad" she said. "I knew I had to take my precautions with you, but this is ridiculous".

"Minor details, dear" said Stefano, waving his hand dismissively. "Why are you looking for Chad?"

"Uh, because he's my husband?" she said. "And because I need his opinion with this little guy".

"Is something wrong with my grandson?"

"I think he's growing a fever". She shrugged. "Well, since he's not here, please tell him I'll be at my mom's. Bye Stefano. Andre".

As she walked away, Stefano turned to Andre. "Why on Earth won't that girl let me check on him?"

"Oh, Father" grinned Andre. "Like you don't know".

Both men shared a glance and chuckled.

* * *

Sami walked into the cemetery, followed by Chad and Lucas, carrying one of the biggest bouquet of flowers they had ever seen. She felt nervous, and her legs were trembling, making it very difficult for her to walk; and she could also feel slighty guilty for not visiting in two years.

As she kept walking, she crossed herself as they passed by the graves of their loved ones. Lucas even had the time to place some flowers for his grandparents.

But as they approached, Sami frowned when she noticed someone was at the grave, leaning down, showing his back to her. Her breath got caught in her throat when she looked better.

Lucas and Chad shared worried glances. They supposed the visit was more difficult than they thoguht, considering Sami hadn't been there since the funeral. But they also were confused to see that stranger at the grave.

Sami started breathing heavily as she got closer and closer. It was impossible. But how could it be, when she had seen these cases more than once in the past? The way that blond fluttered hair looked was so familiar to her. Her voice shaked.

"W-Will?"

Chad's eyes widened as Lucas inhaled sharply. The stranger slowly got up and turned around.

Malcolm had frowned at the name. Still clutching the photo he turned around to see three people: A blonde woman with a sad look on her face, who had a big colorful bouquet of flowers and whose shoulders dropped when she saw him; a young man he did recognize, having watched him on the news once or twice, and another man who stared at him, startled.

He looked at Sami, who he felt immediatly sorry for. He figured she might be a relative of the man buried behind him.

He looked at Chad. The guy was looking at him with slight confusion.  _"That's a DiMera"_ he thought.  _"I can't remeber his name, but I saw him on TV the other day. He's Stefano DiMera's son"._

But when he turned to Lucas, he froze. Just as the woman and that guy the previous day had looked at him, that was how both men looked at each other.  _"How the hell can someone look so familiar when I haven't seen him in my entire life?"_

Lucas was startled too.  _"He looks so much like him. No, it has to be a coincidence"._

"Um" hesitated Malcolm. He wasn't too sure how to act.  _"I'm a trained agent, how can I be so unsure? Is it the awkwardness?"_

"I'm sorry" he apologized as politely as he could. "But I think you might have mistaken me for somebody else".

"No, I'm sorry" said Sami. "I should have known better. I just, eh..."

"Who are you?" asked Chad.

"Right" he said. "My name's Malcolm. Malcolm Cooper".

"What were you doing at my son's grave?" asked Lucas.

_"Of course. His parents"_ realized Malcolm. He cleared his throat. "Just looking around".

Sami ignored Lucas's question and shook his hand. "Hi. Sami Brady, nice to meet you. This is Chad DiMera and this is Lucas Horton".

Malcolm greeted them, shaking their hands too. "Now that's a better greeting".

Sami chuckled. "Are you new in town?"

"I am" he replied. "I'm purchasing an apartment today". He checked his watch. "Which reminds me, I have a meeting for that. I should get going".

He almost turned around when he remembered something. "By the way, I found this near the bushes. Must belong to you or whoever features in here".

He gave her the photo. Sami's heart clenched when she saw her son's family.  _"When they were a happy family"._

"Thank you" she said. "I-I'll make sure they have it back".

They said their goodbyes and he left.

Chad's look followed him.  _"Weird"._

Lucas approached Sami. "You shouldn't be so trusting. You know better than anyone how tricky can some people be".

Sami rolled her eyes. "Lucas, didn't you see him? He's just a kid".

"Who was snooping around the cemetery, chose this specific grave and had that photo" he argued. "Sami, he must be up to something. I mean come on, you and I were younger when we plotted and schemed, and that guy can't be more than 20 years old. He must be hiding something".

"We just met him" she said. "And he was very polite".

Remembering how shocked they both were when they saw how he looked, Lucas shook his head. "I don't like this, Sami".

"Guys" intervened Chad. "I believe we're here for a different reason, and I also believe my best friend had enough of you two arguing when he was with us, and wouldn't want that to disturb him".

"You're right" sighed Sami. She leaned down and placed the flowers on the grave. Then, she kissed her fingers and placed them on the stone. "I'm here, baby" she said. "I'm here and I'm never leaving again".

Chad looked up. "Looks like it's going to rain. I'll get the car ready".

He crossed himself. "Bye, buddy" he whispered and left.

Lucas leaned down and joined his hand with Sami's, and both said their prayers.

* * *

"So, Father, what would you like for dinner?" asked Andre, after almost an hour. Stefano had taken a nap and now was entering the studio again. "We can go eat fresh salmon in that new restaurant at the square".

"Sounds magnificent" approved Stefano. "Now I have something to look forward to the rest of the evening".

"Fantastic" he replied. "I'll make the reservations".

"Ooh, I love salmon, can I come?" said someone, making Stefano wince and Andre quickly take out a gun and point it at the stranger at the door. But Malcolm had been faster, and his gun was already up.

"Who are you?" demanded Andre. "How did you get in here?"

Malcolm ignored the question. "Put that down. I'm not here to hurt anyone. I have a meeting with Mr DiMera". He lowed the gun.

Stefano looked at him incredulous. "You're Mr Cooper?"

"How did you get in here?" repeated Andre, lowing his gun too.

Malcolm shrugged. "Through the window. It's funny, everyone has that habit of leaving one or all the windows open. And then they complain about burglars. Who gets them?" He chuckled.

Seeing the blank looks on their faces, he rolled his eyes. "Fine! I'll introduce myself. Malcolm Cooper, nice to meet you. I'm here to talk about of those apartments I saw online".

Stefano showed him the table, and both men sat, while Andre kept a close eye on Malcolm. He gave him a booklet. "All descriptions and details are here".

Malcolm studied it for a moment. The offer was really tempting. A spacios place, with sight to the square, two rooms, a bathroom, a kitchen, everything. And the price wasn't bad at all.

"Ok, I'll take it" he decided.

"Such a fast desicion" commented Stefano. "Are you sure?"

"It's not that bad" he replied. "And I don't need something too ostentatious. I prefer something comfortable and cozy. And it's kinda fancy, I like it".

"Very well" said Stefano. "I'll have the papers ready for tomorrow".

"Good".

Meanwhile, Chad walked through the door and frowned when he saw the scene. "Father?"

Everyone turned to see him.

"Ah, Chad. Good thing you're here" greeted Stefano. "This is Malcolm Cooper".

"We met" said Chad.

"Yeah, at the cemetery" grinned Malcolm. "Don't ask".

"Yeah, um". Chad hesitated. "What's going on?"

"Mr Cooper here has rented one of the apartments of DiMera Residential" explained his father.

"Oh, so you're gonna be neighbors with Sami" said Chad.  _"Giving her reaction to his presence today, I better tell her"._

"I guess" said Malcolm. "Well, it was nice being here, but I must get to my hotel room if I want to be earlier than the pizza guy".

"I'll walk you out" offered Andre. As they left, Chad and Stefano heard him say "Maybe next time you could try knocking on the door or ringing the bell".

Chad glanced at his father. "Did he break in?"

"More or less" shrugged Stefano. "Why were you at the cemetery?"

"Sami wanted to visit Will" he explained.

Stefano nodded. "Well, Abigail told me to tell you she was at Jennifer's"

"Oh, yes. She called".

"Good. I want you to tell her to come back. We're going out this evening".

Chad raised his eyebrows. "Really? Since when do we do that?"

"Oh, don't you remember?" chuckled Stefano. "We used to go out all the time when you were young".

Chad shrugged. "Ok, then"

* * *

"Hey Abby!"

Gabi ran into Abigail, who carried a stroller with Thomas inside, at the square. She, for her part, was carrying Ari.

"Hey Gabi!" Long time no see" she said, before turning to Ari. "Hi, Ari! You look so amazing today".

Ari giggled in response, as Gabi looked at Thomas. "Hey, little guy! Oh, look at you, you've grown!"

"So, how are you?" she asked. "I haven't seen you in a while".

"Oh, going really good" said Abby. "Except for today. This little one made me fear he had a fever, and Chad wasn't home so I had to go to my mom's. Turns out, it was just gas".

Gabi laughed. "Well that's one way to scare you. I was at the pub with Sonny like two hours ago.

"How is he?" she asked. "Is he taking refuge in his work again? I haven't seen him since his last argument with Chad".

"Busy as always" said Gabi. "I still don't understand why they keep doing this. Is this because of this war between their companies?"

Abby shook his head. "It's because of my dearly departed cousin".

Gabi frowned. "Will died two years ago. Their fight was a few months ago".

Abby checked on her son, who had fallen asleep, while Ari looked at him in awe.

"Well, Paul has a part on this too".

Gabi finally understood. "It"s their relationship, isn't it?".

"Chad sees it as a betrayal. When Will died, he felt guilty because he hadn't been there for him the way Will had. Hell, he even helped him trap me in his apartment so he could tell me everything he felt about me. So, I guess that angered him, to see Sonny move on with the man who slept with hia husband. When I see it that way, I can't understand it either".

"Well, Sonny had a right to move on with whoever he wants" said Gabi.

"I know that" said Abby. "And I don't want to touch that topic. That would lead to an argument and I don't want to lose our friendship".

"Yeah" she replied. "Either do I".

Thomas started fussing, and Ari ran to Gabi's arms.

"Oops, I better get going" said Abby. "It was really nice to see you. Maybe we should have a girls night and our kids can have a play date".

Gabi chuckled. "I'd love that".

"Well, I gotta go". She faked a smile. "Got a dinner date with my husband and his creepy family".

"Good luck!" laughed Gabi, as Abigail left.

* * *

Malcolm paid for the package brought to his room and sat on his bed, a large box of pizza next to him.

As he ate, he opened the box. It had photos and lots of documents on the new people he had met. He wanted to see if there was anything strange, because he had felt really weird, and he knew it wasn't just his instinct.

He found photos of Sami and Lucas. Even with their son.

But then, he found one of Lucas. One that must have been taken during the nineties, giving how young he looked.

Suddenly, as if he felt the strange urge, he took out his wallet and took from it a photo of himself as a baby, the only one of his childhood he still kept.  _"Because if the entire past is forgotten, so is our identity"._

He looked at it carefully. He thought about the surprised and suspicious looks he had received. Then, his eyebrows rose.

"Well" he said, surprised. "I guess it makes sense now".


	3. Chapter 3

_"Hey mother" said a 13 year old Malcolm as he walked through the door._

_"Hello, sweetie" greeted Heather Cooper, his mother. She was a blonde, tall woman, with an air of kindness and a loving character. Even though she was smart, she was oblivious to the fact that her son had been recruited by the CIA a few months before, and thought he had won a scholarship to study in a private school the next year._

_She looked at her son, and frowned. "What's with your sweet face? Why do you look so sad?"_

_"I'm not sad" he defended. "I'm just..." He looked at her in the eye. "Mom, I think I'm old enough to know"._

_"Know what?" she asked._

_"Mom" he said. "What do you know about my father?"_

_Heather looked at her son, startled. "What?"_

_She couldn't be surprised, to be honest. Malcolm had asked the question for the first time when he was six. She had told him his dad couldn't be there and that was it. However, she knew she hadn't said enough, and that this day would eventually come._

_"My father" he insisted. "I mean, don't get me wrong, you've been amazing. But I remember asking you before and never gave me a decent answer. I'd just like to know... Something, anything"._

_Heather hesitated. "Well... The reason you don't know much about your father... Is because I don't know much of him either"._

_Malcolm frowned. Then, he nodded. It didn't take a genius to figure it out. "A one-night stand, wasn't it?"_

_Heather quietly nodded. "I'm so sorry"._

_Malcolm shook his head. "Can't say I'm surprised, I mean, since he hasn't been around... Did you even know his name? How he looked? Where he was from?"_

_Heather thought for a moment. "I never knew his name. But I will never forget how he looked. You wanna know why?"_

_"Why?"_

_"Because you're his live image" she revealed. "He must have been from somewhere near where we met"._

_"And where was it?"_  he _asked._

_Heather looked at him. "I can't remember the name of his town. But I do remember it was somewhere in... Illinois"._

* * *

Malcolm wandered around the square, with his hands in his pockets. He felt distracted, and the place was calm and quiet.

_"For what I read, this usually means trouble's coming"_ he thought.

He had spent the past few weeks investigating practically everyone he had met. For other people, that would be the creepiest thing someone could do. But for him, he was so into his job it was only routine. Besides, he loved secrets and good stories.

He wasn't a snitch, nor a gossipmonger, but past experiences had taught him to always know who he dealt with.

_"Especially that night"._

It wasn't exactly a trauma, he was only cautious. He had learnt really well to always expect the unexpected.

And that was why he got so annoyed when, being too distracted walking, he almost jumped when he bumped into somebody. Or, considering her height, nearly tripped with somebody.

He looked down. A blonde little girl with wide blue eyes was staring at him. Ari.

_"Was she this big when I first met her?"_ he wondered.  _"It's only been a few weeks, no baby can grow this fast! Or can they?"_

But Ari didn't notice Malcolm's internal debate. Instead, she gave him a big smile.

"Malco'm!"

Malcolm's eyes widened. "You recognize me?"

"Mmhm" she nodded. Then, she turned around and ran away.

Malcolm was puzzled. "Wha... That's it?"

Ari came back, and Gabi was following her.

"Oh, wait, I know you" she said. "You're the one who found my daughter! Malcolm, right?"

"I'm surprised both of you remembered me" he said, shaking her hand. "Especially this little one". He pointed at Ari. "She's gonna be a great exhibitor with that memory".

Gabi chuckled. "Well, I'm sure it's the new interactive games I got her for her birthday".

Malcolm nodded.

"So" she continued. "How are you? I know we've known each other for like, a day or so, but I'm willing to know you better. Who knows, maybe you could use some friends here if you're sticking around".

"Well, I am sticking around" he replied. She signaled the bench. "Shall we, then?"

Gabi nodded, picked up Ari and sat down with him. "So, do you go first or I do?"

* * *

"Come on, buddy, pick up the ball" encouraged Chad as he leaned down, watching little Thomas run and pick up the soccer ball he had thrown.

The park wasn't too crowded, yet he had decided to stay and play with his son in a corner, for he feared the Kiriakis family would try to hurt him, or worse, hurt his son. But then he remembered it only was a business competition, but that didn't mean he'd let his guard down.

_"With two crime lords advising the CEOs of the competing companies, one never knows what can happen"_ he decided.

"Get up" a gruffy voice ordered suddenly.

Chad got on alert as he slowly stood up, after giving his hand to Thomas.

"Thomas, come here" he said, picking up his son and turning around.

He wasn't afraid of Victor Kiriakis at all, but he knew what the old man was capable of. He wouldn't let his boy anywhere near him. He also knew Victor liked to intimidate his enemies, so he put on his best smirk.

"Look Thomas, it's just August, yet Santa has come to see you" he said. He thanked God Thomas was too little to even notice what was going on.

"Very funny" said Victor coldly. He looked around. "I thought your wife was alive, where is she?"

"Look, Victor, if you've come here only to piss me off and ruin my day with my son then you better get the hell out before I call the cops" warned Chad "Leave that crap for when you wake up every morning".

"Like for when we win investors and business partners over you" mocked Victor. "Like last time. I must say, I was disappointed. Sonny didn't even make a huge effort convincing them Titan was their best option".

"Well, with Sonny there are never huge efforts, huh?" challenged Chad.

Victor frowned. "What the hell does that mean?"

Chad raised an eyebrow. "Whatever you want it to mean. Now, if you excuse us, it smells like cadaver here, and there's a Big Mac and some nuggets with our names on them".

He walked away with Thomas in his arms, and waved at him mockingly. "Say bye to beardless Dumbledore, son".

Victor glared at them.

* * *

Sami and Lucas were eating at the pub, having a chat about the good old times. It always amazed Sami how easy it was for them to love, hate and care for each other. She figured it was because of all the time and their story together.

"How're the kids?" asked Lucas. "Where are they? I mean, I've seen the poctures you've sent, and the video calls, with Allie, but it's not the same. Are they ok?"

"They are" she replied. "They just can't be here, yet. I can't expose them, not when Stefano and Andre are around".

Lucas looked down. "You're not gonna tell me, are you?"

Sami looked at him apologetically. "I'm sorry".

"You know I understand why you keep them away" he said, shaking his head. "But I still miss Allie. I still miss Johnny and Sydney, you know I love them as my own".

"I know" she said. "But trust me, they are safe. They are with a friend of mine they and I trust completely".

_"If it's safe to call him that"_ she thought.

"As long as they're safe, I don't care about anything else". He coughed. "Let's change the subject before I get depressed".

Sami chuckled.

"So, I heard you are now neighbors with that guy we met the other day".

Sami rolled her eyes. "How do  _you_ know that? Are you overhearing foreign conversations again. Lucas, I thought we were done with that lifestyle!"

"What? No!" he protested. "Have you forgotten? I work for DiMera now. Chad told me personally".

"You know, I still don't know how you could accept their offer" she sighed. "After everything Stefano's done to all of us".

"Stefano is not in charge of the company anymore" he said. "Chad is. I accepted the offer because the pay was good, I'm not too fond of Deimos Kiriakis, and I know Chad's capable of turning his company around. Stefano is just advising him".

"Just be careful ok?"

"Aw, Sami, I didn't know you cared that much about about me" he teased.

"Shut up" laughed Sami.

"Still" said Lucas. "You haven't answered me. I saw your reaction when you saw that guy".

"Malcolm?" she guessed. "It's not like I see him very often, he doesn't live next door. He lives like three doors away from me".

"But you see him, don't you?"

"Sometimes, but he hasn't gotten out for a while" she replied. "Either he's dead or going out when I'm not looking, though I'm sure it's the latter, considering all those pizza boxes I find every night in the garbage. Look, I know you don't trust him, though I don't know why, he seems like a good guy. But I'm ok, and I will be".

Lucas sighed. "I don't trust him because I don't know him. I also don't know what he was doing at our son's grave".

"Curiosity?" asked Sami. "He found that photo near it, he must have assumed it was Will's".

"It better be that" said Lucas. "I don't like the idea of being watched".

Sami gave Lucas a blank look. "You know we're talking about a teenager, don't you? What's this all about? I'm starting to think there's something more than just his presence there".

"There is" confirmed Lucas. "He looked a hell lot like Will. We all saw it".

"Yeah, that was a shock" agreed Sami. "But that doesn't mean anything. My mom told me Sonny is starting to obsess about it too. You should talk to him, since you're both nuts".

Lucas rolled his eyes. "Maybe I will"

* * *

"Whoa, whoa" said Gabi, enthusiastic, covering Ari's ears. "You saw your teacher doing what?"

"One of the biggest traumas of my life" deadpanned Malcolm. "She was all over the Principal. That old man almost expelled me to keep me quiet".

Gabi laughed. Now that she looked at him better, she could see Sonny was right.  _"He definitely looks a lot like Will. Fortunately, I'm smart enough to hide my shock very well"._

"Are you feeling ok?" asked Malcolm. "You look like you're gonna get sick".

_"Or not"_ she thought. She sighed. Better be honest.

"Well" she started. "It's just... You look a lot like a friend of mine. He, um, he passed away a few years ago".

Malcolm nodded.  _"Of course that's why I got all those funny looks"_

He pointed to Ari. "Her daddie?"

Gabi frowned. "Uh, yes. How did you know?"

Malcolm shrugged. "I met his parents the other day. They reacted worse, I'd say".

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to..."

"It's ok" he said. "I a way it's actually flattering".

"You have very interesting stories" he said, after a beat. "I mean, a brother who was in the FBI, going to prison for killimg your ex. I'm not gonna judge you. For what you've told me, he had it coming".

"It wasn"t my right, though" she said. "But thank you. You have good stories too. I mean, you've been almost everywhere in the world. Were your parents rich? Did you go with them".

"I wish" he replied. "My father was a one-night stand. He's somewhere in the world. As for my mother, well, she's dead".

"Oh, I'm so sorry"

"It's ok. It was a long time ago. I survived, my travels were thanks to scholarships in other countries".

That was a lie. Heather Cooper died when Malcolm was 15 years old. The director of the CIA helped him live by himself. As for the travellings, he had gotten different missions in other countries.

"Well, you do look smart" said Gabi.

Malcolm nodded, and looked up as he saw Chad approaching with Thomas in a stroller.

"Hey Gabi" he greeted. "Mr Cooper"

Malcolm chuckled. "Please, call me Malcolm. Like I'm gonna call you Mr DiMera".

Chad stared at him. "Right".

"Do you wanna sit with us?" asked Gabi. "We" she signaled herself and Ari. "Are knowing Malcolm a little better".

"I'd love to" he said. "But I'm taking this litte guy to McDonald's. But if you want, you can come qith us".

"Ooh, did you hear that, Ari?" she told her daughter, standing up. "Come on, let's go to the bathroom so we can go with your Uncle Chad".

Once she was gone, Chad turned around and looked at Malcolm, who had stayed in the bench.

Malcolm held up his hands, and stood up. "Fine, I'll leave".

He motioned to leave, but when he passed by Chad, Chad grabbed his arm, and made him go back.

"No, you won't" he said, smirking. "You're coming, too. There are a few things we'll need to talk about once Gabi goes home".

"Excuse me?"

"Don't think I didn't see the badge that day at the mansion" he said. "You're not the only one who digs up information on other people. I happen to have the same hobby"

Malcolm froze. "I don't know what you're talking about".

"Sure you don't" said Chad. He turned around to check on his baby. "CIA, huh? I gotta say I'm impressed. What interest would the agency have in such a small, boring town".

"Vacation" replied Malcolm. "But I'm part of the Delta Team, and my occupation is not supposed to be known, unless I decide otherwise".

"I understand the confidentiality of an agent's identity" said Chad. "But there's no need to make my son an orphan just to keep me quiet..."

"I'm not even going to shoot you" said Malcolm, offended. "I don't need your father going after me".

"Good". Chad shook his hand. "Then your secret's safe with me"

"I somehow doubt that" he said. "But thanks anyway".

"Oh, Malcolm" said Chad, as he saw Gabi getting out of the restroom. "It's gonna be so interesting knowing you".

* * *

Paul Narita sat on the couch at his father John Black and stepmother Marlena's townhouse, giving John, who sat next to him, a bottle of beer. Marlena was sitting on another couch.

"So, your case is finally closed" commented Marlena.

"That's right" said Paul.

"Yeah, when we came back, it was to attract those morons" said John. He patted Paul on the shoulder. "And thanks to  _this_ guy they fell right into our trap!"

Paul chuckled. "Well, I learnt from the best".

"And I'm so glad things are going really good with you two" said Marlena.

"I'd say great, Doc" said John as he got up and sat next to her, with his arm around her. "I married the woman I love, our children get along, I wouldn't ask for anything else".

He kissed her firmly as Marlena laughed.

"Oh, wow" said Paul, watching them. "I-I should go, this is kind of awkward in so many levels".

John pulled back and looked at him. "Oh, come on, be happy for us, your old man is in love and your..." Marlena looked at him warningly. "...young and adorable stepmom is happy".

Marlena laughed again. "Well, one thing is true, Paul. I love your father very much"

Paul smiled at them. "Well, I'm happy for you, I really am".

"Oh, and speaking of love" said John, looking at him. "How are things with Sonny? You know, I haven't seen the kid in a while, maybe we could all have dinner sometime".

Paul shrugged. "Maybe. I mean, we've been better".

"Why is that?" asked Marlena.

"Are you guys fighting?" asked John.

"I wish" replied Paul. "Sonny's been weird since I came back. He's efusive, and seems very distracted. Something's upsetting him, and he won't tell me what it is".

_"Right. I must speak to Sonny about this"_ thought Marlena, remembering her convesation with Gabi.  _"But it's not my place to tell Paul. Sonny must tell him"._

She cleared her throat. "I'm sure it's just stress. You know, he works for a big company, and he's so devoted to his job, sometimes he ends up with more than he can actually have".

"Yeah, you're probably right" sighed Paul. He checked his watch. "I should go anyway. Got some things to do".

"Yeah, it's ok, son. Take care" said John.

Paul left.

"Paul seems really worried" said Marlena.

"Yeah" he replied. He turned around to face her. "Can I ask you something, Doc?"

"Yes, sure".

"I could be wrong, but..." He sighed. "Do you think it's possible Sonny's cheating on Paul?"

* * *

"Oh my God, don't McDonald's have the best burguers?" said Gabi as she ate hers.

Malcolm chuckled. "I went to this place... The Brady Pub, it is, last week, and I liked theirs much better".

"Oh, yeah, the pub is famous for that" agreed Chad. "Though one has to be very disciplined for not coming everyday".

"I'd look like a big cow if I did" said Gabi. She turned to the babies.

Ari was eating her cheeseburger silently, slowly enjoying every bite.

Thomas on the other hand was looking at everyone curiously, ignoring Chad, who was trying to feed him the nuggets he had just crumbled.

After a few minutes, Chad gave up and sighed. "Why do I bother? He always does this. He has the worst eating schedule ever. Abby is better feeding him anyway".

"Speaking of" said Gabi. "Where's she?"

"Busy at the Spectator" he replied. "So my little boy and I decided to have a mommy-free man day".

Gabi laughed. "Don't let her hear you say that". She turned to Malcolm. "Abigail is Chad's wife. You'll like her, she's great".

"Is she gonna give me funny looks too?" he asked.

"Probably" she teased. "But that's a story for another day".

Malcolm sighed. "Fine, whatever. I'll get them one way or another. It's a small town, anyway".

"Oh, yeah, I'd like to touch that topic" intervened Chad, as he finally managed to give Thomas a spoon full of crumbled nuggets. "You're lucky you're only two" he said to his son "I'll ground your ass next time you don't do what I say".

"Um, why are we talking about it?" asked Malcolm.

"Because, like I said, you look a hell lot of him and I want to know why" said Gabi.

"But why?" insisted Malcolm. "People have doubles everywhere! I bet I'm not like your friend as much as you say so".

"I'll be the judge of that" said Chad, cupping his face and looking way too close for Malcolm's liking as Gabi watched amused.

"You really don't know the meaning of personal space, do you?" he complained.

"Shut up"

"I will kiss you just to make back off, don't think I won't".

Chad looked at him in the eyes. "I dare you" he said, and kept examining his face.

Malcolm, incredulous, turned to Gabi. "Is he serious?"

Gabi was too amused to respond, so she just nodded. Chad finally backed off.

"I'm sorry for the awkwardness" he said, clearly not meaning it. "After deliberating, I can say that you indeed look a lot like my dear friend, may he rest in peace".

"If my reasoning ability was low" added Gabi. "I would think that you _are_ him".

Malcolm smirked. "As interesting as actually being someone else with a very much different life would be for me, trust me, I'm not your friend".

"We know" said Chad. "We're just teasing you. I like you, we should do this more often".

"Yeah, me too" said Gabi. "Besides, the kids like being around each other and Ari certainly likes you".

Malcolm thought for a moment. "Yeah, why not? You guys have been nice to me so far, I think we can be friends".

"Great" she said.

"Gabi?"

Gabi turned around. Chad looked away, and Malcolm looked, curious.

_"There's that guy from the station and the photo"_ he thought.  _"And he's giving me that funny look again"._

"Sonny, hi!" she said. "We were..."

"What's  _he_ doing here?" he demanded.

Gabi rolled her eyes. "Sonny, this is not the time or place..."

"It's ok, Gabi" said Chad. "What do you want, Sonny? Your uncle didn't piss me off enough so he sent you? Or is he following me now?" He started looking around. "And where's your 'worst is nothing'?"

"Shut up" said Sonny, getting angry. He turned to Gabi. "Gabi, I told you I didn't want Ari anywhere near him!"

"Well, Sonny, Ari happens to be my daughter too" she replied. "And I have decided we will have no part in whatever quarrel you two have, so calm down, we are in public".

Sonny looked away. But then, he turned to Malcolm. "What are  _you_ doing here?"

"You don't even know me" said Malcolm, calmly. "But as far as these two people you happen to know are aware, I represent no danger. What's with the attitude, by the way? Most people say 'Hello, this is my name, nice to meet you' when they meet somebody new".

Gabi sighed as she stood up, cursing silemtly when she noticed Ari, Thomas, and other peoble were watching. He grabbed Sonny's arm and dragged him away from their table.

"Ok, what the hell is your problem?" she hissed. "First you want to know him to make sure I don't know what, and now you're acting like an ass. What is it?"

"He's a stranger!" Sonny shot back.

"Not anymore" she replied. "I met him again at the square and we talked and got to know each other. Chad's doing the same right now. But you come in here, and attack us, scaring Ari. Why do you think she hasn't even greeted you, huh?"

Sonny rubbed his eyes. "Right. I-I'm sorry. Let me apologize to her..."

"No" said Gabi. "You're tired, stressed and irrationally obsessed with Malcolm. Go home and sleep, we'll talk tomorrow".

"It's just" started Sonny. "He's just like him...!"

"Stop it, Sonny" warned Gabi. "I don't wanna hear it. I can tell you it's not what you're thinking. Go"

Sonny tried to say more, but after looking at Gabi's glare, he gave up, turned around and left.

* * *

"Cheating?" asked Marlena, puzzled.

John just nodded.

"No, that can't be possible" she said. "Sonny's a good, kind-hearted young man".

"I know that" said John. "I just don't want my son getting hurt, that's all".

"I know you don't" she agreed. "But why would you suggest Sonny could be cheating on Paul?"

John bit his lip.

"John? Just tell me".

"Well, Paul said he looks distant, distracted, upset. Maybe he's dealing with guilt? We know that people who do these things act like that or worse. But it's just a possibility, it could be anything else?"

"John?" said Marlena accusingly. "Are you saying this because of what I'm thinking?".

John held up his hands. "Don't get me wrong, Doc. You know I loved the kid as my own grandson. Hell, he even used to call me 'Grandpa John' for a time and I  _loved_ that. But, I'm saying..."

"That because he cheated on Sonny, he'd do the same? Like a Domino effect?" she asked, annoyed. "That's not how it works John! And how dare you say something like that?"

John opened and closed his mouth. He realized he had spoken without thinking. "I'm sorry. That wasn't... I didn't mean it to sound like that".

"But it did" said Marlena, hurt. She stood up.

"Oh, come on, Doc" pleaded John. "Please don't be mad, I'm sorry".

But Marlena walked away to the bedroom. "Tonight you're sleeping on the couch!"

John closed his eyes and sighed in dismay.

* * *

Paul walked to his apartment, after running his errands. He felt tired, and frustrated. Sonny hadn't replied his texts or calls, and was starting to worry something could have happened to him.

But he got really surprised when he saw Sonny waiting at his door. He ran to him.

"Sonny, oh my God, I've been worried about you!" he exclaimed. "Where have you been?"

Sonny didn't answer, he just looked at him, as if he had a big struggle inside of him.

"Sonny?"

His surprise became shock when Sonny kissed him fiercely, pinning him against the door.

"What..."

Sonny kept kissing him, as he opened the door, got them both inside, and closed it.

* * *

"So" said Malcolm after a long while. "This Sonny guy is a prick, isn't he?"

"A self-centered, sanctimonious prick" declared Chad.

"I'm sorry" said Gabi. "He's not usually like this. I don't know what's going on, but I promise he's much more nicer than that". When she saw them staring at her, she rolled her eyes. "But yes, he can be a prick sometimes".

"Enough reason not to like him" said Malcolm.

"Amen" agreed Chad. He patted Malcolm's shoulder. "I officially like you, and we're officially friends from now on".

Malcolm chuckled. "Fine by me".

Chad looked at his watch. "Well, I better hit the road and put this little one down for a nap".

He cleaned up Thomas's mouth, picked him up and put him in his stroller. He left, waving at them. "Bye, bye, bye, guys"

Malcolm looked at Gabi. "Seriously?"

"He likes jokes a lot" dismissed Gabi. "He said it kepps him young".

"Well, good humour has always been associated with good health" he replied. "I'm starting to think he may be right".

"Maybe" chuckled Gabi.

Malcolm checked his watch too. "Yep, I should go too" He stood up, took out his wallet and took out a few dollars. "Please give these as a tip for me, please. I gotta run".

"Yeah, sure" said Gabi, taking the money.

"Thanks" he said, going to the door. "I'll see you around".

"Well, honey, we should go too" said Gabi to Arianna, picking up her things. Ari nodded and cleaned herself up, sucking her fingers and cleaning them with a napkin.

Gabi got her purse, and was about to stand up when she noticed a piece of paper on the table.

_"Must have fallen from Malcolm's wallet"_ he thought, and picked it up.

Her face softened when she noticed it was Malcolm as a baby.

"Aww" she murmured.

She couldn't help stare at it for a while. She frowned.

"Where have I seen these features before?"

She looked at the photo closer and more carefully.

Suddenly, her eyes widened. "Oh my God".


	4. Chapter 4

Sami went to open the door when the bell rang. She ended up face to face with Kate Roberts, Lucas's mother.

"Well, well, well" she said, pushing Sami aside and walking in. "Samantha Brady, in the flesh, back in Salem. And to think I honestly thought that Stefano had ended you after your last stunt. But here you are".

"Well, what can I say?" she replied. "Salem hasn't seen the last of me".

"Then God help us all".

They held each other's gaze for a while, before bursting in laughter.

"Oh, my God, did I miss you" said Kate. "Come here".

They hugged.

"Me too!" exclaimed Sami. "Though it took you long to visit me. Have you at least brought something?"

"Uh, yeah!" she replied, taking a bottle of champagne out of her purse. "The bitch is back!"

* * *

"What the hell!"

Stefano had walked into the living room of the mansion, and had winced a little when he saw Malcolm pouring himself a glass of water.

Malcolm didn't even flinch. He turned around and smiled at him. "Good, you're here".

"What are you doing here?" demanded Stefano. "Did Harold open the door? Or did you break in like the other day?".

"The latter" replied Malcolm shamelessly. "And before you call the cops or press charges, I should tell you that I can get myself out of jail within an hour after being arrested, that thanks to some good people I know".

Stefano just stared at him confusingly. He sighed and went to pour himself a big glass of whiskey.

"I'm too old for this" he muttered.

After his drink, he turned to Malcolm, whose attention was now on the titanic collection of books he possesed. "You never told me why you were here".

"Oh, right" he replied, taking out a check of his pocket. "Here".

Stefano took it. "What's this?"

Malcolm smiled at him. "Rent".

Stefano frowned. "This is more than ten times the rent!"

"I'm paying you in advance" he replied, rolling his eyes. "A year, actually".

"And how did you get the money?" asked Stefano. "You're a kid. Either you got the best job someone your age can ever get, or you robbed a bank". He thought for a minute. "If this is Kiriakis money, I guess I wouldn't conplain".

"I have a trust fund" lied Malcolm. "But you can say I have the best job someone my age can ever get". He wouldn't deny that his salary in the CIA was very generous, though.

"Oh, really?" said Stefano. "Where do you work?"

"I don't think you want to know" he chuckled. "Don't they say that curiosity killed the cat?"

"You're talking with the Phoenix" said Chad as he walked in. They shook hands. "Malcolm, always a pleasure".

"Maybe you could tell your friend to stop breaking into the house and ring the bell like normal people" grunted Stefano.

"It keeps things interesting!" defended Malcolm.

Chad chuckled. "Malcolm, please ring the bell next time. And Father, don't be so gruffy. You'll start to sound like Victor in no time".

Stefano looked at him as if Chad had insulted his name, their great ancestors and his whole legacy.

Malcolm let out an amused huff, and turned to Stefano. "So, the Phoenix, huh?"

"Yes, that's what they call him because of all the times he's evaded death" said Chad.

"Ooh" he said, sitting next to Stefano on the couch. "I love stories".

Stefano rolled his eyes. "Fine. I guess it doesn't matter. Everyone in Salem knows anyway".

But before he could start, another voice interrupted.

"Oh my God".

They all looked at the door, where Abigail was standing, staring at Malcolm with slight shock.

* * *

Sonny and his parents, Adrienne Johnson and Justin Kiriakis, walked into the Brady Pub and sat at a table.

"I've missed this" he confessed. "It's been a long time since we've had a meal as a family together".

"I know, sweetie" said Adrienne. "But we understand that you've been busy in Titan, and I'm just so happy that we're doing this".

"That's right" agreed Justin. "I know it's been a difficult time for all of us, but I'm glad everything worked out in the end".

"Your cancer, your divorce with Lucas" counted Sonny, looking at his mother. "This year hasn't been that bad so far, though, compared to last year".

Adrienne nodded. "My cancer is finally on remission".

"And your mother and I found our way back to each other" said Justin, placing his arm around Adrienne. He chuckled. "Again. Nothing can make this better".

"Actually" she said. "What would make this even better would be if the rest of the boys came to celebrate with us our blessings".

"Well, that won't be easy" chuckled Sonny. "Joey and Vic are as busy as I am with work, and Alex for some reason hates Salem".

"Let's just say he doesn't have the best memories here" reasoned Justin. "Though he didn't complain too much when we were here in 2007".

Adrienne had been married briefly to Lucas, as she had found out she had breast cancer. While she received treatment, she and Justin started spending time together again. After seeing their chemistry, Lucas gave up, and filed for divorce a few months after their actual wedding, not the one Justin ruined with his declarations of love.

It had been a rough path, but things were much calmer now. And now they were having a very nice family date. At least, until Adrienne (timely as always) opened her big mouth.

"It's good to see you happy again. And this time it's a safe, drama-free relationship".

Sonny hid his face in his hands in dismay. "Mom".

"What?"

Justin sighed. "Can we please not touch that subject".

"Please, mom" said Sonny.

"Fine, sorry" she said, rasing his hands in surrender.

"And by the way" continued Sonny. "I'm not sure how it is going with Paul".

"Why's that?" she asked.

Sonny started debating in his head. He wanted to talk to his parents about his concerns about that new kid, but then again he didn't want them to see him as a psycho stalker like Gabi did.

"Son, you can tell us" reassured Justin. "If you and Paul are facing problems, then we'll help you solve them".

"It's not that" sighed Sonny. "The other day, a few weeks ago, I mey this guy. And before you say anything, no, I'm not cheating on Paul. But I can't stop thinking there"s something in him".

"What are you saying?" asked Adrienne.

"He's the spitting image of Will" he replied. He took out a picture of Malcolm walking down the square. "See?"

Justin and Adrienne looked at it. Indeed, after a few seconds, they shared worried glances.

"Wow" said Justin. "I never thought someone could look like another person that well".

"How did you take the photo?" asked Adrienne. "I mean, it's obvious he hasn't noticed this picture was taken, by the way he looks".

Sonny looked away.

"Sonny?"

Sonny took a deep breath and looked at his parents. "I'm having him followed".

* * *

The moment Abigail entered the room, Chad quickly stood up and went to his wife.

Abby seemed a little puzzle, while Malcolm rolled his eyes. "I'm getting used to this" he muttered to Stefano.

Chad started rubbing Abby's arms comfortably. "Hey, I know it's weird, it's been for all of us, and I know what you must been thinking. This is they guy I told you I met the other day. Would you like to meet him? I promise, he's nice".

Still a little startled, she nodded. "Ok".

Chad nodded and turned around. "Malcolm, this is my wife, Abigail DiMera Deveraux. Abby, this is Malcolm Cooper".

Malcolm stood up and shook her hand. "It's a pleasure. Gabi has told me good things about you".

"Oh, you've met Gabi" she replied. "Well, it's nice to meet you, too".

_"He's well mannered"_ she thought.  _"Who would say that? Teenagers haven't lost their chivalry as I thought"._

"Sorry for my reaction" she said, embarrased.

"It's no problem" said Malcolm, dismissively. "I get that a lot, but Iknow what's that about. I try to take it as a compliment, though".

"You know, Father was about to tell us about his life here in Salem" said Chad. "Would you like to join us?".

"Oh, I'd love to" lied Abby, not too thrilled about hearing her father in-law about how he tortured her family. "But I have a meeting I must attend". She checked her watch. "Actually, I'm running late, so I must go. Checked on Thomas for me, will you?"

"Will do" he replied, kissing her.

Abby waved Stefano and Malcolm goodbye and left the room.

"So" said Chad, joining them in the couch. "Father, you had a story for us".

"I never said I"d tell you anything" complained Stefano. Seeing how his youngest looked at him, he sighed.  _"My heart has softened a lot since I found out about him"._

"I came to Salem for the first time to see my son Tony, who had came a few months before to start our business empire, back in 1983..."

* * *

When Lucas went to visit Sami at her apartment a few hours later, he was not expecting the door to be open. Much less hear the high-pitched sounds and loud rock music coming from there. And even much less find his mother with her, singing karaoke, both of them obviously drunk when he got in.

"Whoa, we're halfway there" sang Sami.

Both women let out a big, out of tune scream that forced Lucas to cover his ears.

"Livin' on a prayer!" sang Kate.

"Take my hands, we'll make it I swear" continued Sami.

They screamed again, and Lucas made a face, looking around to see if some furious neighbor hadn't come out to see what the scandal was about.

Kate took the mic. "Livin' on a prayer".

"LIVIN' ON A PRAYER!" they both screamed and started playing air-guitar as the solo came.

"Alright that's enough" said Lucas, as he approached the TV and turned it off.

Sami and Kate stopped when the music was shut down and finally noticed him.

"Lucas!" greeted Sami, hugging him a little too tight. "How's my... Best 'frienemy'?"

"Your best what?" said Lucas, frowning.

"Frienemy!" insisted Sami. "You know, friend, enemy, frienemy! Because we are friends, but... At the same time we're... Enemies! And our history is so full of good moments and... Bad moments and..." she smiled. "Hot moments..."

"Ok, I think you made yourself clear" he said, covering her mouth. He turned to Kate. "Mom, what the hell?"

"What, no... Kiss for me?" she complained.

"Not when you stink like that!"

"Oh, but... You have no problem hugging that... That..."

"That what?" said Sami, trying to let go of Lucas and attack her. "That what?"

"Ok! You've drunk a lot!" said Lucas, tossing her over the couch. Then he went to Kate, who was smiling too much for his liking. "Why the party, by the way?"

"Oh, sweetie" she replied. "We would have... Invited you... But you're sooooo boring"

Lucas rolled his eyes. "I'm not boring, I'm a sober!"

"Booooring" agreed Sami, too lazy and drunk to get up from the couch.

"And what's with the music?" continued Lucas. "You told me you  _hated_ Bon Jovi when I was a kid!"

"I did not!" defended Kate. She bit her lower lip. "I always thought... Jon Bon Jovi was... Hoooot!"

"So damn hot!" agreed Sami.

Lucas groaned. "This is ridiculous". He dragged his mother to the door, but turned to Sami before getting out. "You're not gonna move?"

"I'm... Comfy" she said, starting to fall asleep.

"I'll be back in a few hours" grunted Lucas, taking Kate out, who had started singing again.

"We gotta hold on, ready or not!..."

"Mom, shut up, for the love of God!"

* * *

Justin took a few moments to collect himself from the shock. "You're following this guy, a total stranger, for no aparent reason except fot the fact that he looks like your deceased husband?" He looked at Adrienne, who seemed surprised too, and then to his son again. "Sonny, there are so many wrong things there I could write and put them on a list!"

"Sonny, you can't do this" said Adrienne. "I mean, look at him, it's obvious he's a kid. That's called stalking".

"Mom" groaned Sonny. "I'm not stalking him".

"Eh" said Justin, giving him the photo. "You sure about that?"

"I've been around him just twice" he said. "And it's super weird. I feel strange things, like... It's like going back in time or something. Does that make any sense?"

"No" said Adrienne.

"Not at all" replied Justin. "What does Paul have to do with all this anyway?"

"It's not Paul" said Sonny. "It's me. I have been distant. Last night I felt the need to demostrate I wasn't..."

"Let's not get into those details" rushed Justin, lifting his hand.

"Fine" he said.

"Ok, I get something" said Adrienne. "This kid reminds you of Will, doesn't he?"

Sonny nodded.

"Sweetie" she said, reaching for his hand. "He may look like him, but he's not Will. You need to let this go. It's not healthy for you, ok?"

Sonny sighed, but nodded. "I just thought, with all the times it's happened, that there could be a small chance"... He drifted off. "You're right. It's been two years, and it's something I shouldn't be thinking about anymore".

He stood up. "I need to go". Before his parents could say anything, he left.

Adrienne turned to Justin. "Do you think this is serious?"

"I'm not sure" he replied. "He said he was over what happened. But I'm starting to think that may not be the case".

* * *

"Ok, ok" said Malcolm, excitedly. "You've been shot, ill, attacked, left for dead many times and yet you're still here. No wonder you're a Phoenix!"

"An old Phoenix" said Stefano.

"I mean, you faked deaths, identities, abductions" he said. "A lot of stuff! That must mean you were an international terrorist!"

"I  _am_  considered an international terrorist. As you may have seen, people still hate and fear me".

"Fear is the best ally of power" said Malcolm. "Martin Scorsese said that".

"I never actually got the power myself" confessed Stefano. "I got busy with my plans and plots and time passed me by".

"Still, man" he replied. "But how come you haven't been arrested?"

"He was" said Chad. "Many times. But he's so powerful he's always been able to get away with murder in the end".

"My legacy has always been very important to me" declared Stefano.

"Is that the reason why you're having this war with tge Kiriakis family?" asked Malcolm.  _"Which reminds me I should pay a visit"._

"It's business" he replied. "Victor's the one who declared war, we are just defending ourselves".

"Right" said Chad. "I must go, got something to do".

"Yeah, me too, actually" said Malcolm. "It's been nice, Stefano. We should do this more often!"

Before Stefano could answer, Malcolm said goodbye to Chad and left the mansion.

Stefano turned to Chad. "Since you're going to be out, I should ask you to buy some of those magazines I like to read".

"Father, you could always use a tablet" chuckled Chad. "Everything's online now".

"I have barely learnt how to use this cell phone" he complained, showing him his phone. "I won't waste my time learning how to use a bigger one".

Chad shook his head and left. "And a tablet's not a giant cell phone!"

* * *

Abby sat across Gabi in a table across the square. She was calmer than before, but Gabi seemed a little nervous.

"Ok, tell me everything" she said. "What's bothering you? If you're going to ask for maternal advice, I should remind you my child is younger and I'm not very experienced".

"Oh, no, it's not that" said Gabi. "It's something else".

"Ok, but before you say anything I gotta tell you I had the strangest run-in ever".

Gabi huffed. "What you and Andre coincided in the same room again?"

Abby laughed. "I wish".

"Then what was it?"

"I found this guy with Chad and Stefano in the living room. He was, oh my God, so..."

"Wait" interrupted Gabi. "You met Malcolm?"

"Yes!" said Abby. "My God, it was so weird!"

"I know, it was for me too" she agreed. "Actually, that was what I wanted to talk to you about".

Abby frowned. "Really?"

Gabi shrugged. "Yeah. I mean, since you already met him, it's made things easier. Look, Sonjy has met him too".

"That couldn't have gone well".

"It hasn't. At first he was shocked, and now he's acting like an ass. He's starting to obsess, all he thinks about is how much he looks like Will".

"Oh, that was it" said Abby, biting her lip. "I thought he looked a lot like a singer I used to be nuts about, but now that I think about it, yeah, he also has a resemblance to him".

Gabi gave her a blank look. "You can't be serious. What are you, 16?"

Abby huffed. "Excuse me for having my idols during my teenage years. I know you had them too".

"Yeah, I did..." she drifted off. "That's not the point!"

"Then?"

Gabi took out Malcolm's picture. "Take a look at this".

Abby took the photo and examined it. Her eyebrows rose after a few minutes. "Wow".

"This picture fell from his wallet yesterday" revealed Gabi. "I will return it later today, but I wanted to show it to you first. Abby, look at his features carefully. It's too much of a coincidence".

"Gabi, he's not Will" said Abby, after examining the photo again. "I knew him since we were very little, I'm positive he's not my cousin. Besides, he looks like a kid".

"Don't you want to find out?" asked Gabi, leaning on the table.

"What are you saying?" asked her friend.

"You just get to know him" she said, taking out her phone and checking a text from the babysitter. "I'll fill you in later". She stood up and left, leaving Abby way more confused.

* * *

Sonny wandered through the park, thinking about what his parents had told him. Thinking that they could be right, that he should have let Will go a long time ago. But it was difficult, especially because of how things were between by the time he had died.

So lost he was in thoughts, he didn't see where he was walking, and bumped into someone.

"Sorry".

"Wait, Sonny" said Paul, grabbing his arm. "I've been looking for you".

Sonny looked up, noticed Paul and sighed. "Hey, Paul".

"Hey, Paul? That's it?" he asked, frowing. "What's going on with you? I woke up this morning and you weren't anywhere!"

"Sorry" he replied. "I went to see my parents. And now, if you excuse me, I need to go".

"Wait, what? And where are you going?" asked Paul, trying to follow him.

"Paul, just... I need to be alone now" said Sonny, rushing out.

Paul's gaze followed him. "I don't get it" he muttered. "There's something here. Something"s bothering you, Sonny, and I'm gonna find out what".

* * *

After two hours, more or less, Lucas entered Sami's apartment again. He wasn't surprised to see her sleeping on the couch in the same position he had left her.

Shaking his head, he went to the kitchen and made two cups of coffee. He came back to the living room with some water in his hands, and poured it over Sami's face.

Sami jumped and woke up, groaning in pain as she put her hands on her head. She looked up, and saw Lucas staring at her with his arms crossed. "Um, hi?"

"This has to be your quickiest hangover" he replied. "Not to mention your little party. You know, I told my mother because I knew that deep down you got along, but I must admit I never thought you were such good friends".

"Don't yell at me" groaned Sami.

Lucas rolled his eyes, and brought her the coffee. "So, what happened? Did you trash talk about all the people you two hate?"

"Oh, yes" she smiled. "It was like old times". She took a large sip of her coffee. "Lucas, this has helped me".

"What, getting drunk?" asked Lucas, startled. "I should tell you, at first it looks good, but then it gets very ugly. Trust me, I know".

"No, not that!" she said. "I've made a decision".

"A decision?" he repeated. "Who would say alcohol could be so useful on you?"

"Lucas, shut up!"

"I'm sorry! But you had it coming when you got my mother and yourself drunk" he defended. "Not to mention making fun of you is a chance I can't just let go".

Sami rolled her eyes. "Are you gonna hear me out or what?"

"Fine, tell me".

She looked at him determinedly. "I'm ready to let my family know I'm back".

* * *

Abby finished her coffee and was about to stand up, when a voice interrupted her.

"Hi again".

She turned around, and saw Malcolm standing there. Now that she looked at him better, she could see what Gabi was talking about.

"Hi" she greeted.  _"No time like the present to get to know another friend"._

Malcolm approached the empty chair. "May I?"

"Yes, of course!" she said.

Malcolm sat across her. "I again apologize for the impression I gave at the mansion. Aparently I look a lot like someone who used to live here".

"Yes, you do" admittted Abby. "My cousin".

"Oh, he was related to you too?" he said. "How little is the world!"

"Actually" she said. "I think it's safer to say almost everyone's related to each other".

Malcolm chuckled. "Family trees here must be very tangled".

"You coukd say that" Abby agreed.  _"It's been the shortest conversation I've had and I already like him!"_

"So, you're little Thomas's mommy" said Malcolm. "That's great. I got to meet him and also your friend's daughter Ari. I actually met her at the park, she had gotten lost".

"Oh, yeah JJ, my brother told me about it. It was very nice of you to bring my goddaughter to the station safely".

"It was no problem" he replied. "I'm glad too. And..."

He stopped for a moment. He had caught the glimpse of someone dressed in black hiding behind some bushes.  _"What the hell?"_

"Is somethig wrong?" asked Abby, looking around.

"Don't move" ordered Malcolm, still looking at her. "I'm gonna pretend I'm saying goodbye. Someone's watching us".

"What?"

"Don't move" he repeated, before she could move. "I need you to play along with me, ok?"

Abby nodded. Malcolm stood up, kissed her cheek, and made the motion to leave. Almost suddenly, the man in black, who had a camera, got out of his hiding spot and started following him.

Abby noticed him, and remembering her karate lessons she had received some years prior, she slowly stood up and approached him. When she was close enough to him, she hit him hardly on the back.

Malcolm quickly turned around and ran to the man before he could hurt Abby, and applied a wrestling hold to him.

"Now, now" he said, as he struggled with the man. "You were stalking me!"

"No, I wasn't!" lied the man.

"Lies!" yelled Malcolm. "Who sent you?"

"I'm telling you, I wasn't spying!" the man insisted.

"Who sent you?!" repeated Malcolm, tighting his grip. " You tell me now, you bastard!"

"It wasn't..."

"TELL ME!" yelled Malcolm.

Abby, meanwhile, watched shocked, but called a police officer who was near them.

The officer approached quickly and separated them.

Abby frowned when she saw Malcolm show the officer something she couldn't see well. She took out her phone and dialed Gabi's voicemail. "Gabi, it's me. Whatever your plan is, I'm in".

After she hung up, she quickly approached them.

"You tell me who sent you, or I swear, I have the powet to make you suffer" threatened Malcolm. "What's the name of the mafia you work for?"

"There's no mafia" insisted the man.

"Then tell me who the hell sent you!" demanded Malcolm.

"I don't know him" admitted the man.

"His name" he said.

"Fine!" said the man. "He said his name was... Jackson Kiriakis".

Abby's eyes widened, as Malcolm clenched his fists.

* * *

Sonny walked through the cemetery. It had been a while sinve the last time he had been there, for he had thoght being away would help his healing process.

_"I did a pretty good damn job with that, didn't I?"_ he thought.

But when he approached his husband's grave, he frowned when he heard a voice, a known voice talking.

"You would have loved your Uncle Will. He was so good with kids, I bet he wouldn't have minded watching you for a while. And I'm sure he would have adored you; when your mommy was pregnant with you, he was very excited..."

Still frowning, Sonny approached and stood behind a tall gravestone, as he saw Chad sitting on the ground in front of Will's stone, talking to Thomas, who was sitting on his father's legs. A bouquet of flowers lied on the stone, too.

"Yeah, I know he would have loved you" continued Chad. "Actually, I'm sure he loves you and will protect you from Heaven. You know why? Because Daddy asked him too".

Thomas stood up and walked a little, placing his little hands on the stone.

Chad chuckled. "Yeah, I miss him. He was there for me at my best and my worst when we were younger. Sometimes I wish I had done the same when he got himself in trouble with his marriage and mistakes. I just hope he's ok now".

Sonny couldn't help it anymore. He got out of his hiding spot. "What are you doing here".

Chad turned around. "Sonny".

"What are you doing here?" repeated Sonny.

"What, I can't be here?" he said. "Will was my friend, I once loved him as a little brother and even considered him family when Sami and EJ got together".

"Well, it's not like you come very often" grunted Sonny.

Chad stood up, but didn't look at him. His eyes were focused on the grave. "That's where you're wrong. I used to come here every week when my drama cooled off". He picked up Thomas. "Now I come once or twice a a month, or everytime I have something in my mind, just to talk. I know he listens to me, like he always did".

Sonny snorted "Right".

"It's true" said Chad, calmly. "The first times were just to say that I was sorry, for not being there, you know? For being stupid after figuring out what Ben did to him and those girls and worsening my situation with that fight. It's water under the bridge now, though. Not worth it anymore. Just like this conversation".

He made started to leave.

"What, that's all?" asked Sonny.

Chad turned around. "Yes" he replied. "Out of respect for my friend and for my son's sake, I won't argue with you today, Sonny. Especially not here. So, if you don't mind, I must go".

Sonny was left alone. He turned to Will's grave. "I..."

He suddenly felt sick. "I..."

His throat felt dry, and he started trembling. Covering himself with his arms, he breathed in and out. But couldn't find any courage to say what he had come to say.

"I'm sorry" he said, and ran away.


	5. Chapter 5

Sonny walked through the park, with the last events of the week running through his mind. Everything was good in his life, and this stupid kid with the exaggerated resemblance to Will came, befriended practically everyone who surrounded him and ruined everything.

_"This has Stefano DiMera written all over this"_ he had decided, after a little investigation on his own. Yes, he knew of Stefano's pawns impersonating people in the past, he just knew this had to be another case. Why would he do the same with his deceased husband, he actually didn't care.

_"Will is dead"_ he thought.  _"His parents saw his body at the morgue. We buried him. This kid is definitely not him. He's way too young. The old man must be losing his spark"._

If Gabi knew what he was thinking, she would probably freak out and say he had lost his mind, that he was way too paranoid. He chuckled at the thought of him proving her wrong.

"What's so funny, pal?" asked a deep voice.

Sonny looked up and found himself facing a man with a big moustache, wore a black leather jacket and looked at him dangerously, as he blocked his path.

"Uh, nothing" he replied, cautiously. He tried to pass him. "Now, if you excuse me..."

The man moved too, stopping him. "I don't think so".

Sonny tried to move again. "I really need to go..."

The man blocked Sonny's path again. "You're not going anywhere".

"This is ridiculous" said Sonny, turning around and trying to leave. But another man, with also a leather jacket and a grown beard came and stopped him.

"You must come with us" said the first man. "Are we going to do this the easy way or the rough way. You pick".

"Like I said" he replied, still looking at the second man. "I'm out of here".

He quickly pushed the man, turned around and started struggling with the first man. But the fight didn't last long, because the man he had pushed covered his head with a black bag, and hit him with his gun. Sonny fell unconscious.

Still with the bag covering Sonny's head, the men lifted him up and took him to a van, and drove away.

* * *

Deimos Kiriakis walked down the stairs of the Kiriakis mansion with a big frown on his face.

There was music coming out of the living room, someone was playing the piano. This wouldn't be such a big deal, except for a minor detail.

_"No one in this house plays the piano but me. Unless someone does and I never knew"._

It wasn't that the music was bad. It was an instrumental song called "Endal", composed and played by a Peruvian singer. Deimos didn't know the song, though.

He slowly walked in the living room and looked at the piano. His surprise was even bigger when he saw a blond boy he had never seen before playing it and humming along.

He slowly approached as the boy finished the song. "That was nice".

Malcolm looked up and smiled at him. "Thank you. Sorry if I woke you up. This piano is so beautiful".

Deimos nodded. "Who the hell are you?"

Malcolm rolled his eyes. "Right".

He stood up and shook his hand. "Malcolm Cooper, it's a pleasure".

"Deimos Kiriakis. Now, I'd say it's a pleasure too" replied Deimos. "But I'd like to know how you got in. My butler hasn't told me I had a visit".

"Your butler doesn't know a thing" grinned Malcolm. "I entered through the window".

Deimos looked at the window on his right side. "That window doesn't open".

Malcolm stared at him. "The kitchen window does".

"So, you're telling me you broke in".

Malcolm shrugged.

"I'm so calling the police" said Deimos, taking out his phone.

"I'm not going to rob the house" said Malcolm. "I came here for another reason".

"Oh, yeah? What is that?" he asked, crossing his arms.

"I've had a few meetings with Mr Stefano DiMera. Now I should have a few with you too. You know, because of this 'war' between your companies".

Deimos narrowed his eyes. "I don't have time for interviews". He walked past him and opened the door of the living room. "You can show yourself out".

Malcolm chuckled. "You think I'm a reporter. How old do you think I am?"

"Old enough to be an intern" said Deimos. "Now get the hell out and tell your director that I'll sue whatever sloppy magazine you work for for trespassing next time".

"Sir, I had been told you were smart" said Malcolm, walking to the door.

Deimos raised an eyebrow. "Is that supposed to be an insult?"

Malcolm shrugged again. "It's whatever you want it to be. Listen, it's clear you don't want to hear me out, and I'll respect that. And for your information, I'm not a reporter".

"Is it really that important?"

Malcolm turned around again, with a grin on his face and walking to the couch. "I knew you'd listen".

Deimos sighed in dismay. "Fine. What's so important?"

"DiMera and Kiriakis have been down this road before" started Malcolm. "Last time, both of your companies reached high, dangerous levels to attack each other. The agency is preocuppied something like this can happen again".

"Wait" he replied. "Agency?".

"What, I didn't say?" Malcolm took out his badge and gave it to him.

Deimos checked it out and gave it back to Malcolm. "I find quite exaggerated for the CIA to be interested in a business competition in such a small town".

"Don't try to fool me, Mr Kiriakis. You both have branch offices all over the world. We've seen irregularities, and the fact that until a year or two ago, two crimelords were running them, we've decided to step up".

"Well, you're a little late" said Deimos. "Stefano and Victor retired. Chad DiMera and I are in charge of our respective companies now, and we're making it legit".

"Your periods as CEO's are recent" said Malcolm. "We know they are still the brains".

Deimos shook his head.

"This competition can turn into a feud once again" he continued. "We're talking about national, probably worldwide security. Stefano reached the level of an international terrorist, and Victor is one of the most powerful crimelords I've ever seen. He's practically a Don. I've been sent to keep an eye on you two".

This time, Deimos chuckled. "Keep an eye... What are you, eighteen?"

"Yes" Malcolm grinned again. "I'm so glad we understand each other".

Just in that moment, Henderson, the butler of the Kiriakis family entered the room, followed by Paul.

"Mr Narita has come to see Mr Jackson, sir" he said, solemnly.

"Yeah, yeah" said Deimos, dismissively. He wasn't too fond of Paul to be honest. He found his excessive smiling annoying. Though, considering Deimos was a sour person (except with Nicole, his girlfriend), anyone who smiled too much was annoying to him.

"Hey is Sonny..." Paul started, trailing off when he saw Malcolm. He froze. "What the hell?"

"Oh, you've got to be kidding me!" groaned Malcolm, throwing his head back in annoyance. "Seriously, how many people here knew this William person?"

Paul opened and closed his mouth. "What...?"

"Save it" interrupted Malcolm, holding up his hand. "I don't want to hear it again, nor see that look again. I'm sick of it". He turned to Deimos. "Remember what I said, and don't worry, next time, I'll knock".

He left.

Paul's gaze followed him, then he turned to Deimos, who was staring at him impatiently. "What the...?"

"Why you're still here?" asked Deimos, roughly.

"I'm here to see Sonny" he replied.

"Well, since he hasn't come down, it's obvious he's not here" Deimos growled. "You know where the door is".

"Gee, you don't have to be so grouchy" said Paul, turning around and leaving.

Deimos sighed.  _"I need a heavy drink"._

* * *

As soon as he got out of the mansion, Malcolm sighed happily.

"Well, that went well" he muttered.

Suddenly, Paul got out of the mansion too, with a frustrating expression on his face.

"Stupid, stupid Deimos" he mumbled.

They saw each other. Malcolm waved at him awkwardly.

Paul sighed and went to him. "I'm sorry for my reaction inside. Seeing the way you did, I can tell you get that very often".

"I do, but it's slowing down" said Malcolm. "Apparently, I look like this friend everyone seems to have had".

Paul chuckled. "You do".

Malcolm nodded. Then, he looked at him carefully. "I know you. You're Paul Narita, the baseball player. I'm not a big fan of sports but I remember having seen you on TV once or twice".

"I am" said Paul.

"I knew it, Malcolm Cooper, your friend's look-alike" Malcolm joked, shaking his hand. "You know, you seem to be very observant and deductive. And I always thought athletes were either dumb or conformists".

"Uh, thanks?" said Paul, frowning.

"You must be a reporter now" guessed Malcolm. "Or a PI, who knows".

Paul looked away, biting his lip.

Malcolm laughed. "Oh my God, you're a PI? Such a career change, I'd say. It's great to meet a colleage here".

"A colleage?" Paul was lost.

"I'm not exactly a private investigator. I work for the CIA, but our jobs are kinda similar" he said.

"Oh, well" Paul chuckled. "Then I guess it's great too. I work with my father. His association's called 'Black Patch'".

"Interesting name" commented Malcolm.

"It is" he agreed. He checked his watch. "Well, Malcolm, it was nice meeting you, but if you excuse me, I should go find my partner".

"It's ok" said Malcolm, shaking his hand again. "Maybe we'll work together at some point".

"Maybe" agreed Paul. "See you around". He jogged off.

After he was gone, as in cue, Malcolm's watch beeped. He pressed a little button. "Cooper".

_"It's done"_ a deep voice said.

"Good, I'm on my way" he replied, walking away. "Do not hurt him".

* * *

"Ok, so what's your big plan?" asked Abigail, excitedly, as she caressed Thomas's head while he sat on her lap. "I haven't had an adventure since my time away".

Gabi, who sat across her in a table at the square and also had Ari on her lap, chuckled. "Well, it's a little complicated".

"Did you give Malcolm the photo back?"

"I did" she replied. "He said thank you a little emotionally. He seems to like that picture very, very much".

"Well he must, considering he had it in his wallet" said Abby. "It must have a very special meaning to him".

Gabi nodded. "Ok, so, you looked at that photo carefully. I mean really, really carefully".

"I did, Gabi. You were there, remember?" she said, rolling her eyes.

"Ok, good. That means we can start putting the plan on motion".

"Gabi, you haven't even told me what your plan is" Abby insisted. "If you want me to help you, I need to know what is it that I'm doing".

"Fine, ok" accepted Gabi. "I have the feeling Malcolm could not be such a stranger to us. I mean, he told me his story and it makes sense".

"His story?"

"M-hm" she nodded. "His mother is dead, and his father is apparently lost in the world. I have a theory".

* * *

Sami stood nervously in front of the Brady Pub. Sure, she had been there before after her return, but she had made sure no one in her family saw her.

"Hey, it's ok" said Lucas, who stood next to her. "They have missed you. I know they'll welcome you with open arms".

Lucas, upon Sami's request, had gathered the whole Brady family at the Pub, under the tyoical excuse of big news for them. After a little insistence, they all agreed to meet him there. Lucas had decided to get there late so everyone would be there.

"It's just... I haven't seen there in so long" she said.

"Hey, they love you" reassured Lucas. "They want to see you and when they do they're all gonna cheer and scream and throw a welcome party". He looked at her well. "Though that would be a problem for you, since you're still with the hangover of your party with my mom".

"Shut up" said Sami. "Ok, I'm getting in".

* * *

"Now, what could be so important we all had to gather here?" complained Roman.

"Maybe the Hortons are throwing a party and he's coming to personally invite us" suggested Claire.

Ciara, her aunt and best friend, stared at her. "Seriously?"

"I wouldn't complain for his delay if that's the reason" reasoned Shawn, Ciara's brother and Claire's father.

"Ugh, what are you, sixteen?" joked Belle, Shawn's wife and Claire's mother.

Hope chuckled "I don't think so. I would know if that was the reason".

"Mom, you're such a mood killer" said Ciara.

Steve "Patch" Johnson, his wife Kayla Brady and kids Stephanie and Joey were on another side of the Pub.

"I swear, if it's one of those picnics where I have to sit on the ground again, I'm not gonna be happy" grunted Joey.

"Why not, man?" asked Steve. "We all like those picnics".

"I end up with a sore leg for sitting on the ground all the time".

"Yet you won't join the others to play soccer" mocked Stephanie. "Dummie".

"Enough" said Kayla. "We'll soon see what's this about".

Meanwhile, John and Marlena were sitting with Caroline Brady, the matriarch of the family at a table near the others.

"You know, Lucas isn't the kind of guy who gathers people for something" said John. "He either visits everyone or divides the work with his siblings or children. That, when there's something to tell, of course".

Caroline and Marlena chuckled.

"There's always a first time for everything" said Caroline.

"That's true" agreed Marlena. "Now, I wonder what would he tell us".

As in cue, the door opened, and Lucas entered first. He looked at the Bradys, who stared at him expectantly, and gulped.

"Um" he hesitated. "I know I called all of you to share something big. I guess I don't have to say it. This will do".

He moved to the left, revealing Sami to them.

Everyone was stunned, as Sami slowly walked in and smiled at them shyly.

Roman was the first to react. "Sami, oh my God, Sami". He quickly went to her and gave her a big hug.

"I'm ok" she said, hugging her father.

"You sure?"

"Yeah" she nodded.

Roman let go, and rubbed her arms. Then, they turned to Marlena, who had stood up and walked to them, with tears in her eyes.

Sami, sniffed and smiled at her. "Hi, mom".

Marlena let out a little sob. "Sami".

"I'm back" Sami said, her voice breaking.

Suddenly, everyone gasped when Marlena, in a fit of fury, slapped Sami across the face.

* * *

When Sonny woke up, he wasn't wearing the black bag on the head anymore. However, it was so dark he couldn't see a thing anyway.

"Hello?"

He tried to move, but he had been tied up to a chair.

"Dammit, hello? Anyone there?"

"Hi, Jackson"

Suddenly, the lights were turned on, blinding Sonny for a bit. After blinking several times, he inhaled sharply when he saw Malcolm standing in front of him, across a table.

"What the hell?"

"Don't worry, Jackson. I'm not gonna hurt you" he assured. "But you and I need to have a talk, and I knew that, seeing how you act around me, you weren't going to do it willingly".

Sonny, not used to be called by his real name, frowned. "What do you want? I knew you were bad news".

Malcolm snorted. "Pff, come on, just because I kidnap you doesn't mean I'm dangerous. Like I said, I'm not gonna hurt you, and you'll be out of here in an hour or less".

"That's psychotic!" said Sonny.

This time, Malcolm let out a laugh. "Oh, Jackson. If I was a psychopath you'd already be dead! I just want to talk to you".

"About what?" demanded Sonny.

Malcolm took out a picture of the man he had had arrested for following him, and showed it to Sonny. "Do you know this guy?"

"Never seen him in my life" lied Sonny. So this was it. The son of a bitch had busted him.

"Well, it's curious" commented Malcolm. "This guy claimed that you personally paid him five hundred dollars to follow me and report to you for the next three months. You still have to pay him, he was freed after cooperating".

"Then why haven't I been arrested?" challenged Sonny.

"Because I didn't press charges" he replied. "That little one, Ari, she needs you, and I really like her and her mom. I didn't do it for them".

"So I should be thankful?" Sonny said. "As soon as I get out, I  _will_ press charges against you for kidnapping!".

"Yeah, no, they're not gonna stand" said Malcolm. "And this is the reason".

He took his badge and put it on the table so Sonny could see it.

Sonny glared at him. "This doesn't mean you get to do whatever you want".

"That's true" admitted Malcolm. "I have morals".

"Nice way to show it" said Sonny, shaking his tied hands.

"You're losing the point" said Malcolm. "I asked myself a question: why would Jackson Kiriakis hire some douchebag to stalk me? What would he get? This, of course, takes us to the second part of this conversation". He leaned on the table so he was facing Sonny. "You're obsessed with me".

"I'm not" Sonny argued.

"Then why send a stalker?" wondered Malcolm. "I already know about my resemblance to this person, William Robert Horton".

Seeing that Sonny had gone a little pale at the name, he smirked. "That's all I needed to know".

He got closer to Sonny's face, watching the bruise the man had given him on the head.

"Damn, I told them not to hurt you" he said, standing up. "That'll definitely leave a mark. You should get a doctor to see that".

He signaled his men to come. "Please escort Mr Kiriakis to his house. We're done here".

As he motioned to leave, he turned around again. "Oh, I hope you don't hold a grudge for this... Reunion. I hope that fall didn't hurt".

Getting the hint, Sonny clenched his jaw, before Malcolm's men put the black bag on his head again and led him to their van.

* * *

"Ok, I get where this is going" said Abby. "But isn't ot a little too drastic? My mom's gonna go nuts if she ever finds out".

"That's why she won't" said Gabi, confident. When she had decided their talk was getting to a "more grown up" level, she and Abby had left their kids in the little new playground near their table, so they could talk and keep an eye on them.

"This plan has to work out. And Malcolm must be there, that's crucial" she continued. "I managed to find his medical record last night".

"My God, Gabi" said Abby. "This can put us both in big trouble. You better be right. If not, we're screwed".

"Stop it, Abby" she said. "I know I'm right".

"And how exactly are you planning to get Malcolm and... Our guy there?" Abby asked. "They don't know each other too well, so it's not gonna happen anytime soon".

"That's where you're wrong" grinned Gabi. "Actually, we're gonna need the help of your brother in law".

"What, Andre?" said Abby, startled.

"Hey, say thanks I didn't say your  _father_ in law".

"Gabi, this is crazy!" hissed Abby. "You can't just put Andre or Stefano in a plan without expecting things to go over the edge!"

"It's the only thing we can do" said Gabi.

"I don't like this, Gabi" said Abby. After a beat, she sighed. "If this backfires on us,  _you_ are taking all the blame".

* * *

Sami placed her hand on her red cheek, as she and Marlena stared at each other in shock.

"We should go" suggested Steve.

"Yeah, us too" said Shawn. He took Ciara, Claire and Belle out, as Steve did the same with Kayla, Stephanie and Joey. Hope took Caroline upstairs.

They could hear Joey complain. "Just as things were getting interesting".

As soon as they were gone, Sami stared at her mother.

"Where the hell have you been?" she asked, angry.

"I'm sorry, mom" Sami said. "I had to get out. It was the only way, and you know it".

"And where did you go?"

"Switzerland" she replied. "I ended up touring through Europe. But I'm ok, and I'm safe, and so are the kids".

"Where are the kids, Sami?" asked Roman.

"With someone I absolutely trust" she said. "I can't have them anywhere near Stefano. I know he will either hurt or use them in the future and I can't take that risk".

"Stefano called off your persecution almost a year ago" said Marlena. "Why didn't you come back at the time?"

"Like I was going to trust Stefano's word" said Sami.

"She's got a point" commented John. "Anyone could have assumed he was just pretending and getting ready to attack as soon as she put a foot in Salem".

"It was too dangerous" agreed Lucas. "Some time had to pass until Stefano cooled off".

"I'm so, so sorry, mom" said Sami again. "I'm sorry for not staying in touch, worrying you, for everything! I love you and I won't pull a stunt like that ever again".

"I love you too" said Marlena, starting to cry. Both women embraced each other, weeping. They were joined by Roman, John and Lucas, forming a big group hug.

No one noticed that, at the other side of the window, Malcolm was watching. He smiled bitterly, turned around and left.

* * *

Sonny was left in front of the mansion, and before he could yell or do anything, they drove away as fast as they could. Sonny sighed and walked to the door, getting in.

In the living room, Victor, his wife Maggie and Deimos were having a cup of tea.

"Oh, hi, Sonny" said Deimos. "Your partner came looking for you a while ago. You should give him a call, he seemed worried.

"Right" answered Sonny. He turned around to go to his room, when Maggie stood up and went to him, with a concerned expression on her face.

"Sonny, darling, what happened to you?" she asked, taking a look at his wound on his head.

"Uh, it's nothing" he lied. "I fell at the street".

"Well, it must have been a pretty bad fall. This doesn't look good at all" she said. "Did you lose consciousness? Have you gone to the doctor?"

"Aunt Maggie, I'm ok" said Sonny. "I just need to lay down for a bit".

He kissed her in the cheek and went upstairs.

"He's totally lying" said Victor.

"What?" asked Maggie.

"He didn't fall anywhere. He'd have to be really clumsy for that. He was either mugged or attacked. I wouldn't discard gay bashing".

"Do you think the DiMeras had something to do with this?" asked Deimos.

"No, the DiMeras would have killed him" replied Victor. "This was someone else. I can't think of anyone wanting to hurt him, but I'll look into it".

"Not so fast" said Maggie. "He'll have to tell us first. Then, you will tell the police, and that's it. No hits". She turned to Deimos. "Same goes to you".

Deimos held up his hands in surrender. "Fine".


	6. Chapter 6

The following weeks, Malcolm got to know everyone in town. That means, he was introduced to some people. Some of them reacting the way that annoyed him. He wouldn't complain too much; yeah, it wasn't funny to be reminded everytime of his resemblance to a dead man, but he found flattering the fact that his presence brought memories of that guy, and a little mystery of his own.

He kept frequenting the DiMera and Kiriakis mansions, having interviews with Chad and Deimos, and keeping a close eye on Stefano, Andre, and even Sonny.

Speaking of Sonny, he did his best to avoid Malcolm since the kidnapping (which he didn't tell anyone about). Malcolm had hoped that would teach Sonny not to mess with him. But Sonny was pissed. Malcolm knew that guy didn't have revenge and evil in him, but would eventually try to retaliate, especially with the influence of his family.

Paul and Malcolm, to Sonny's horror, became friends. Despite John and Steve's initial doubts, Malcolm got to help them with Black Patch, proving to have enough knowledge and expertise for their missions. Not that they had any those days. Malcolm mostly helped with informatic mumbo jumbo.

And that's what, one day, they were doing.

"Ok, you just have to select here" Malcolm explained, using the computer. "And put it here. And done".

Steve nodded in approval. "Great, thanks man".

"No problem" he replied.

They left the computer and went to join John on the couch in the office.

"So, Malcolm" said John. "We've spent these past few days working and working, but I just realized we don't know too much about you. Tell us about yourself. How was your training, your recruitement?"

"It had several aspects" Malcolm said. "It's not like the movies, with strange devices and technology from out of this world. The CIA receives secret reports about gifted students in several schools around the country. Once they meet certain requierements, they send someone to recruit them. That's how I was recruited".

"Smart too much?" joked Steve.

"I have a IQ of 160" said Malcolm. "So yeah, pretty much. But it's not only brains what they look for. They look for someone with physical dexterities, reasoning habilities and more. I passed their tests, but I'm not the perfect agent, I must say. I'm kinda clumsy, and sometimes I take extreme measures when I'm mad".

John chuckled. "We've all been there, kid".

"And were your parents ok with you going with them?" asked Steve.

"My father"s MIA" he said. "My mother never knew. I didn't understand why at first, because they notify the parents when the agent's a minor. They told me I was too valuable for them to risk telling anyone".

"But that wasn't the reason?"

Malcolm looked away. "My mother wasn't the person I thought she was".

* * *

Deimos walked into the living room of the mansion, followed by Sonny.

"Give me good news" he demanded.

Sonny sighed. "Another one of our shiploads was sabotaged. There's no clue of who's responsible".

"DAMMIT!" he yelled, throwing his glass of scotch to the fireplace. He turned around, and approached Sonny, giving him a dangerous glare. "When I made you CEO's assistant, it was because I thought you had the potential to avoid these situations!"

"Hey, I'm trying!" defended Sonny. "But I can't be in two places at the same time! I was already dealing with other problem when this happened".

Deimos looked at him furiously. "This company comes first. Maybe you need to sort out your priorities. And you better do, because I'm not putting up with another failure!".

Sonny sighed as Deimos stormed out of the room.

"Hey" he heard someone enter.

Sonny turned around, and smiled when he saw Paul.

"What was that all about?" he asked.

Sonny approached him. "Nothing that can't be solved".

"Are you sure?" he asked. "You know you can talk to me, don't you?"

"I know" he replied. "But I'm ok".

Paul gave him a suspicious look, but decided to let go. "Fine. I came to ask you something".

He slowly approached Sonny. "I know it's been a couple of weird weeks for us, and I'm planning to make you forget that".

"What are you saying?" Sonny wondered.

"I'm saying" said Paul. "You, me, Mandalay. Now. We can have a nice dinner, talk about our jobs, friends, and more. Come on, what do you say".

Sonny stared at him for a while, amused. "Ok".

* * *

"I hate this, Gabi. I  _hate_ this".

Abigail had been bitching Gabi about her crazy plan for days since they put it in motion, and the funny thing was that everytime she complained, Gabi just ignored her. This time, though, Gabi had had enough.

"I know you do, Abby. But we must do this. We may be doing Malcolm a favor".

"Gabi, we could land in prison, and you've already been there once!" said Abby. "And I don't understand why you want to help him. You barely know him. I mean, I know he deserves this, but why such an interest?"

Gabi looked down for a moment. "It's not easy to explain what it is like to be around him. You know that too. Besides, the kids like him a little too much. We have our suspicions, and it's our duty to confirm whether they're true or not".

"Ok, that I get" admitted Abby. "But I still don't know how we're gonna get away with this. I mean, I know Thomas will be fine if I land in jail, he still has Chad. But Ari? She's already lost a parent, she can't lose you! Especially when she did once!"

"She still has Sonny" said Gabi. "But if he's too busy to take care of her, then I'll just ask Chad. And don't worry, I'll make sure everything goes as planned. Now, how is it going with Dr Brady?"

Still reluctant, Abby gave in. "It's going well. She's given me the keys to the room where they have their blood reserves".

Gabi nodded. "Excellent. Now we must wait for our moment".

"Why is the blood so important?" asked Abby.

"I didn't tell you?"

"No, you didn't!" she complained. "You know, you need to keep me on the loop if you want my help. I mean, you haven't even told me why you want to recruit Andre in this".

"Andre will play a part later" said Gabi. She sighed. "But yes, you're right. I haven't told you what's on my head".

Abby sat on the couch, looking at her expectantly. "Tell me everything".

Gabi bit her lip. "Do you want to know the scary parts too?"

* * *

Chad walked through the park with both Thomas and Arianna, taking their hands.

"It was so nice of your mommies to let us have some fun" he happily said. He stopped for a bit, then grinned. "It's so nice of me to have some time saved in my schedule just for you".

Both babies happily laughed as Chad led them to the playground.

"Ok" he said, letting go of their hands and patting their backs. "You two have fun. But be careful and don't go anywhere out of my sight!"

The kids giggled and ran to the swings and slides.

Chad let out a sigh before sitting on a bench, smiling at the sight of them laughing and playing.

_"I'm not even thirty yet I feel so old"_ he thought.

"Looks fun" someone commented.

Chad turned around, and saw Malcolm standing behind him. "Hey, man".

Malcolm had decided not to give further explanation about what had happened with his mother to John and Steve, gave them a excuse and got out of the office. As he went to his apartment, he passed through the park. The laughter of the children caught his attention, and went to join Chad when he saw him.

Malcolm sat next to him. "They look happy".

"They are" confirmed Chad. "They love playing together, it's safe to say they're best friends now. Not to mention Ari is very protective of Thomas".

"Is she?"

"Oh, yeah. The other day some kid approached him and tried to take his toy robot from him. Ari came and pushed him to the sand. Abby wasn't amused, but I honestly thought it was hilarious".

"Nice" Malcolm approved. He saw the kids playing on the slide. "So you, like, babysit them?"

Chad chuckled. "More or less. I just love them. I have a couple of hours reserved for them three days a week. Besides, I do it for free".

Then, Ari came to them, pouting. "Uncle Chad, Thomas fell".

Chad looked to the slide. Thomas was sitting in front of it, with eyes big and watery, threatening to burst in tears anytime. "I better take care of that".

He stood up and went to see his son.

Malcolm looked at Ari, who was looking to he feet. "Hey, little one".

"Hi" she said in a tiny voice.

"What's with the long face?" he asked.

Ari sniffed. "I pushed Thomas down the slide, but I did it too strong and he fell".

Malcolm frowned. "That's no reason to feel sad. It wasn't your intention".

Ari didn't respond.

Malcolm thought for a few seconds before tapping her shoulder. "Hey, I know how to make you feel better. Do you like secrets?"

Now Ari was listening. She suddenly looked up at him and nodded, her sad face long gone.

"But you gotta promise not to tell anyone" he warned. "Promise?"

"Yes!" she said, excitedly, giving him her pinkie.

"Pinkie promise then" Malcolm smiled. "Ok, here it is".

He leaned down and whispered something in her ear.

Ari suddenly looked at him, excited. "Really?"

"Yep" he said. "But remember, not a single word to anyone. I'll tell them when I'm ready, ok?"

Ari nodded quickly, smiling again.

Chad joined them, with Thomas in his arms. He looked calmer.

"That was close" he said. "He only had a scare, but he'll live".

He put Thomas on his feet again. Ari approached him, took his hand and led him to the playground again, not before winking at Malcolm covertly.

Chad sighed. "Why do I bother?"

Malcolm chuckled. "They're kids. Once they forget they got hurt or scared, all they think about is play. It's like that's their reason to live".

Chad chuckled too. "Maybe".

* * *

"Ok, how bad were you influenced in prison?" asked Abby, with her hands on her hips.

"Ok, maybe I watch too many crime shows on TV" admitted Gabi. "Look, we just have to make sure all that B type blood of the hospital is gone".

"Gabi, we could get in so much trouble. We're talking about  _attacking_ someone! Only stealing that blood will get us a couple of years in prison".

"This is Salem" stated Gabi. "If we don't do this the hard way then there's no way at all".

"Ugh, fine!" said Abby. "But if what we think is true, Ari's life is gonna change forever".

"It will actually be like nothing changed at all" corrected Gabi. "Did you see that scar he has on his jaw? That can only mean one thing".

"Surgery" gasped Abby.

"I knew he was too good to be true. He had facial surgery, and all this feelings everyone gets when they're around come for a reason".

Abby finally understood Gabi's point.

"Malcolm is Will" concluded Gabi. "With a new young face and new memories. And we are gonna be the ones who prove it".

* * *

Chad lifted a sleepy Thomas from the ground as Malcolm did the same with Ari.

"It's a godsend you came" joked Chad. "I don't think I could have dealt with these two like this".

"Like I said, it's no problem" assured Malcolm. "Besides, I like these kids, and it's not like I have too much to do".

"You work spying on my company" said Chad.

"I don't spy" he said offended. "I watch and report".

"Yeah, sure thing" Chad mocked. "Is your job seriously that easy?"

"God, no" laughed Malcolm. "I've done worse, I tell you. Out of respect of these little ones, I'd leave that for another day".

"Ok".

Carrying the children, they walked into the square. Suddenly, Chad stopped dead in his tracks.

"Maybe we should go other way"

"What? What is it?" asked Malcolm.

"Just some people I don't want to deal with right now" he replied.

Malcolm looked around. "Oh".

"Yeah" said Chad. "Let's go-Oh dammit, he saw us".

* * *

At the square, Paul and Sonny had their dinner.

"This is nice" said Sonny. "I haven't had something like this is ages".

"I told you, you work too much" said Paul. "You need to relax a bit more, spend time with your friends, with Ari, me. You used to go on trips all the time".

"Those days are long gone" sighed Sonny. "I'm a grown man now".

"I know you are".

"You know" said Sonny after a moment of silence. "I wanna show you something".

He took out his wallet a took out a piece of paper. "A few days ago, Sami came by the mansion. Her visit only lasted a few minutes. She only wanted to give me this".

"Who was Sami again?" Paul tried to remember.

"Will's mom" he replied.

"Right" he said, taking a loot at the paper. It was a photo of Will, Sonny and Ari. "Wow".

Sonny nodded. "Yeah".

"Why did she give you this?" he asked.

"Because it's mine" Sonny replied.

Paul frowned "I don't understand".

Sonny took the picture and put it in his wallet again. He breathed deeply. "When Will died, after the funeral, I took that picture out of its frame. The day I left Salem, I placed it on his stone. Sami told me it fell in some bushes".

"It looks deteriorated" commented Paul. "Why do you carry it around?"

Sonny shrugged. "It's a nice memory. Something I had and I was happy with that was taken away from me".

"Will cheated on you" remarked Paul.

"Can we not talk about that?" groaned Sonny, glaring at him. "But I was happy at some point. I want to remember. You told me you were ok with it".

"I am" said Paul. "I'm sorry. Will was an important part of your life, and I respect and understand your nostalgy".

"All I got of him is Ari now. Everytime I see her I see him" confessed Sonny. He collected himself and sat straighter. "Ok, let's change the subject before I get emotional".

"Ok" agreed Paul. "How are you handling this DiMera-Kiriakis war?"

"It's awful" he admitted. "Everytime we strike, they strike back with more strenght. I'm trying to convince Deimos to put a stop to it before we get bankrupt but he's so vindictive".

"I'm sure you'll find a way to convince him" said Paul. "There's always a way".

Sonny narrowed his eyes and was about to say something when he looked behind Paul and inhaled sharply.

"What, what is it?" asked Paul, turning around.

Chad and Malcolm were there, carrying Thomas and Arianna respectively. When they saw Sonny's horrified expression, they tried to turn around and go the other way, but Sonny was faster reacting. He stood up and determinely walked to them, who decided not to run.

"What the hell is this?" he demanded when he got to them.

"Hello, Sonny" said Chad sarcastically. "We're all fine, thanks for asking".

"I wasn't talking to you" he glared at him. He looked at Malcolm. "What the hell are you doing with my daughter?".

Malcolm looked over Ari, then at Sonny. "She looks nothing like you".

Chad snickered. "I needed help, 'cause I wasn't going to carry them both. Though if you look closely, one could think Malcolm and Ari are father and daughter".

"I'm eighteen" said Malcolm, weirded out.

Meanwhile, when he saw things where about get heated, Paul hurried to get up from his seat and go to them. When he saw how red Sonny's face was, he thanked God he got there before it got ugly.

"Hey, Malcolm" he greeted. "Chad".

"Hi, Paul" replied Malcolm. He turned to Sonny. "See? He's polite".

Sonny narrowed his eyes. "Don't. Give me my daughter, now".

"'Don't give' or 'don't, give'?" he wondered.

"Sorry, Sonny" said Chad, not meaning it. "But Gabi told me to take her home, not to you".

"I think I can handle it, thank you very much".

"Man, why all the hostility?" asked Malcolm. "We haven't done anything to you".

Sonny, incredulous, opened his mouth to yell about Malcolm kidnapping him, but Paul put his hand on his shoulder. "He's right, Sonny".

"Well, this has been fun" said Chad. "But we must go take these angels to bed".

"Ari's staying with me!" said Sonny, a little too loud.

Suddenly, Ari startled awake, and looked at Sonny scared. She had never seen him yell or angry, and she felt very confused about why her daddy Sonny was so angry.

Sonny softened when he saw her wake up, and offered her his hands."Hey, sweetheart, wanna join me and Paul?"

Ari looked at them, and, thinking Sonny was mad at her for some reason, shook her head and hid her face in Malcolm's neck.

"What..."

"That takes care of it" said Chad. "Come on, Malcolm, we don't wanna be late".

"Bye, Jackson. Paul" he said, as he carried Ari away.

Sonny watched them leave, puzzled. When they were gone, he turned around to see Paul staring at him, with his arms crossed.

Sonny sighed. "She'll come around eventually. I know she doesn't like you that much, but I'm trying to convince her you're a good guy".

Paul chuckled sadly, and shook his head. "It wasn't me this time, Sonny. It was you".

Sonny frowned. "Me?"

"She was scared of you, Sonny" said Paul calmly. "Once again you let your anger get out of control and made your stepdaughter fear you". He exhaled. "You need to seriously work on that, if you don't want her to get estranged of you one day".

With his hands in his pockets, Paul left some money on their table, and left.

* * *

Sami walked into her apartment with Kate, carrying several shopping bags. Behind them, panting, was Lucas, who was carrying at least ten different boxes of shoes, one over the other, barely seeing where he was walking.

"Oh, sweetie, put those next to the table" indicated Kate.

Lucas grunted something incoherent as he obeyed. He put them down and slowly got up, with a hand on his back. "I don't know why I always agree to hang out with you two".

"That's because you don't have anything more interesting to do" said Sami happily. "And you love us".

"Right now I want to kill you" he growled.

"Yes, yes, whatever you say" said Kate.

Lucas sighed and dropped himself on the couch, exhausted. "I need a hobby".

Sami chuckled, and gave him some water. "Thanks for coming with us, though".

"Yeah, thanks, dear" said Kate, giving him her hand. "Now take your mother home".

Lucas rolled his eyes. "I'll get the car". He said his goodbyes to Sami and left.

Both Kate and Sami waited until he was out of earshot and burst in laughter.

"Oh my God, this never gets old!" said Sami.

"I know!" replied Kate. "It's been nice, Sami. We'll do this again next week".

"Oh, you bet!" she replied as Kate left.

Sami closed the door and went to put all her new clothes and shoes in her room.

Suddenly her phone rang. "Hello?"

_"Mommy!"_

"Oh my God, Johnny!" she said excitedly. "Oh, sweetie how are you? How are your sisters? How's everything?"

_"We're fine"_ replied Johnny.  _"We miss you"._

"Oh, sweetheart, I know, I miss you too, so much" she promised. "But I told you this was necesary. I needed to make sure everything would be safe and I had to be set first. It's been a longer process than I thought, I must admit".

_"But, mommy, it's been months!"_ complained Johnny.  _"And we want to see you again. We want to move back to Salem right away!"_

Sami thought for a moment. Johnny had point. It had been a couple of months since she came back, and so far, she had received no threats at all. The DiMeras had shown no intentions to cause any harm. Hell, except for Chad, they hadn't crossed paths at all!

She cleared her throat. "Um, sweetie, is our... Special friend with you?"

_"Yes!"_ he replied.  _"Hold on a second"._

Sami waited a moment before talking again. "Hey, I know I've been here for a while now, and considering what Johnny just told me, I believe we are ready to stay in Salem again. There's no motive to feel threatened, not to mention that I miss you all like crazy. So what do you say? I live in a nice place, we're all gonna be comfortable here".

_"Sounds like a plan, Darling"_ said a deep, Brittish accented voice, making her smile.

* * *

Deimos walked around the living room of the mansion, furious.

"I'm starting to get used to seeing you like this" someone said at the door.

Deimos turned around and glared at Victor, who stood still with a glass of scotch in his hand. He walked to him, but Victor lifted his hand to stop him. "Enough of these glasses have been thrown to the fireplace in a fit of rage. This is the only one I got left".

Deimos smirked. "I don't have time for your jokes, brother. I got a lot on my plate right now".

Victor nodded. "The company is losing money in this war, Deimos. A lot of money. You have to put a stop this right now".

"Oh, trust me" he replied. "I'm already on it".

Victor looked at him carefully. "I've seen that look before. I don't like that look. What are you planning".

With his jaw set, Deimos poured himself a drink. "I'm sick of this game too, Victor. The Dimeras wanna play dirty? We will play dirty".

He turned to him. "I'll find a way to prove they were behind the last sabotage to our shiploads. And when I do, I'm gonna take Chad DiMera out of the picture". He drank his scotch. "For good".

* * *

"Thank you so much for bringing her" said Gabi, letting Malcolm and Chad in.

"It was no problem" said Malcolm. "I just happened to pass by".

Gabi took Ari from him and turned to Chad. "Did they have fun?"

Chad snorted. "Please, whenever they're with me they have the time of their lives".

Malcolm chuckled. "Gotta agree with that". He checked his watch. "I should get going. There's a  _Bones_ marathon in 10 minutes and I'm not planning to miss it. See you, guys".

Chad left a few minutes later too.

Gabi slowly entered Ari's room and carefully placed her on the bed. "Aw, you had so much fun, didn't you, sweetheart? I bet you did".

She kissed her sleeping dughter's head. "Sleep tight, baby".

A tiny smile formed in Ari's face as she dreamt of her favorite moment of the day.

_Malcolm thought for a few seconds before tapping her shoulder. "Hey, I know how to make you feel better. Do you like secrets?"_

_Now Ari was listening. She suddenly looked up at him and nodded, her sad face long gone._

_"But you gotta promise not to tell anyone" he warned. "Promise?"_

_"Yes!" she said, excitedly, giving him her pinkie._

_"Pinkie promise then" Malcolm smiled. "Ok, here it is"._

_He leaned down and whispered something in her ear._

_"I'm your uncle"._

_Ari suddenly looked at him, excited. "Really?"_

_"Yep" he said. "But remember, not a single word to anyone. I'll tell them when I'm ready, ok?"_

_Ari nodded quickly, smiling again_.


	7. Chapter 7

As Lucas walked around the square, he spotted a familiar blond head at one of the tables. Malcolm was happily having breakfast: a cup of milk and coffe, a cheese sandwich, some orange juice and, curiously, a brownie.

Remembering his initial hostility towards him, Lucas had finally concluded he had been unfair to the boy. His resemblance to the son he lost had made Lucas act, or try to act, as if Malcolm didn't exist. But he had to face the fact that the guy was staying, and that his son was not coming back.

So, with that in mind, he approached Malcolm's table.

"Hey" he said as he got there. "Mind if I sit here?"

Malcolm took a sip of his juice, ignoring the strange feeling in his chest, as he nodded. "Yeah, sure".

Lucas sat and awkwardly stared at him for a minute or two, trying to find a decent way to start a conversation. But it was a little hard to concentrate.

Malcolm looked at him again. "You know, people don't tend to just stare at someone while eating. Personally, it creeps me out".

"I'm sorry" said Lucas, shaking his head. "Actually, that's what I came to say".

"That you creep me out or that I creep you out?" he asked frowning.

"No! No, that's not..." Lucas sighed. "Look, I came to apologize. The few times we've met I've acted strangely, if not hostile, towards you. And I know it's not an excuse, but the fact that you look a lot like my son is painful, not just for me, but for Sami too. I know she's dealing with it better than I am, and I want to say I'm sorry for being a douche".

Malcolm took a bite of his sandwich efore frowning again. "No offense, but what the hell are you talking about?"

Lucas was taken aback, as his mouth held open. "Uh..."

"Lucas, there's nothing to apologize for" said Malcolm. "To be honest, I never noticed you were acting that way, but I appreciate the gesture".

Lucas looked down, smiling. He looked up. "Ok".

Malcolm nodded. "So, what brings you by?"

"Just walking around town" admitted Lucas. "Halloween is only a few weeks away, and my sister Jennifer is in charge of the party that will take place here, so I'll meet her in an hour".

"A party?" he repeated. "Like, with costumes, candy and lots of hyperactive children causing chaos?"

"More or less" Lucas chuckled. "Everyone in town comes, you should too".

"Maybe I will" he replied.

Lucas nodded, as Sami approached from behind him.

She looked at them and frowned a bit. "Well, this is unheard of".

* * *

"Ok, Abigail, take this to Dr Robbins, she must be at her office" said Kayla as she handed Abby some files.

"Will do" she replied.

Abby had started volunteering at the hospital as part of her and Gabi's plan. Her first task was to gain Kayla's trust so she could have access to the important rooms. It wasn't moral of her, but she knew it would pay off. Anything to have her cousin back.

Gabi and Abigail had decided not to tell anyone about her suspicions of Malcolm's "real" identity, because there could also be the possibility of being wrong.

Sadly, they didn't know they were.

On that note, Abby walked to Dr Robbins's office, only to stop dead on her tracks when a very much known voice said her name.

"What the... Abby?"

Abby slowly turned around, and gave her surprised husband Chad a nervous smile. "Hi, Chad"

Chad was staring at her, eyes and mouth open. "Uh... You're like... Volunteering here?"

"Yes?" she said.

"What about the Spectator?" he asked. "I thought you had a meeting..."

"That's tomorrow" she quickly said.  _"Thank God I didn't forget to reschedule"._

Chad slowly nodded. "Ok... But, I mean... Don't think I don't support you, but, how, why..."

"Relax" Abby laughed. "I'm doing this as a favor for Dr Brady. I come here now and then, whenever I have time or feel like it".

"Oh" he said, chuckling. "Ok, then".

"Wait" she said. "What are  _you_ doing here?"

Chad put his hand in his pocket and took out a check, shaking it in front of Abby. "We still donate".

"Meaning you still give money in exchange for favors in the future?" she guessed.

"Hey, one of these days we could really need the hospital's support for anything?" defended.

"Just go leave your check" she laughed, shooing him away. Once he was gone, her smile faded as she turned around and went to the office.

"Close call".

* * *

Gabi walked slowly into the park, and sat on a bench, with her purse on her lap. Her face was emotionless, but inside, she was a nervous wreck. She knew she had to be extra careful in this mission so neither she or Abigail would land in jail.

A few minutes later, Andre appeared, spotted Gabi and sat next to her.

The two stayed in silence for a few more minutes before Andre spoke.

"You wanted to see me?"

"I need something" said Gabi, trying to sound intimidating and confident. "You're the only one I can go to".

Andre chuckled. "Well, this is new and odd. Even for you, Gabriela".

"Cut it off" she ordered. "If you want something in return, I'll do what I can".

Andre chuckled again. "You haven't even told me what is it that you want". He faced her. "But tell me, what am I good for?"

Gabi looked at Andre for a moment. Maybe this wasn't a very good idea. But she was there, and Andre was there. She had to keep going.

"I want a hitman" she finally said.

Andre looked at her puzzled. Then, he looked away. Finally, he burst in laughter.

Gabi glared at him. "I'm serious, Andre!" she protested.

Andre didn't even try to stop. "Oh dear, I just... Wow..." He laughed even harder.

Gabi crossed her arms, pissed off.

It took Andre a few minutes to collect himself and calm down a bit. "You, a detective's girlfriend, another detective's sister, want to take someone out. I'm sorry". He giggled. "But the irony is just too good".

"I don't want anyone dead" said Gabi.

Andre stared at her. "And what do you think hitmen do, Gabriela? Serve ice cream to homeless children?"

Gabi glared at him again. If this didn't feel important to her, she would stand up and leave with the tail between her legs. But she couldn't. "Are you done? I'm pretty damn sure I know what a hitman does".

"Haven't you learnt your lesson from your last crime, Gabriela?" asked Andre. "What could you possibly miss of prison that would make you want to go back there?"

"Andre!"

Andre held up his hands. "Ok, ok. Who do you want to take out?"

"I don't want to kill anyone" she repeated. "I just need someone hurt".

"Doesn't make it better" he commented. "Can I at least ask why? Who?"

"No" she spat. "This is private, and I don't trust you that much".

"Yet you come to me to ask for a favor, someone to do half their job" said Andre.

Gabi didn't answer. She instantly regretted having this meeting.

Andre nodded his head and took out a piece of paper and pen, wrote something on it and gave it to Gabi. "Maybe he'll fullfill your expectations".

He stood up and left.

Gabi stayed seated on the bench. She looked at the paper. On it, Andre had written a phone number.

* * *

"Well" said Sami as she sat down. "What's going on here?"

"Mr Worries here came to apologize for something I didn't care too much about" joked Malcolm.

"I just wanted him to know what my distrust towards him was about" said Lucas. "And that I was being unfair and irrational".

"Sounds smart" approved Sami. "But I can still sense tension in this table. What's really going on?".

Malcolm thought for a moment.

_Suddenly, as if he felt the strange urge, he took out his wallet and took from it a photo of himself as a baby, the only one of his childhood he still kept. "_ Because if the entire past is forgotten, so is our identity".

_He looked at it carefully. He thought about the surprised and suspicious looks he had received. Then, his eyebrows rose._

_"Well" he said, surprised. "I guess it makes sense now"._

"I'm sure it'll drift off" he said.

Sami nodded and sat with them.

"You know, I was just telling Malcolm here about the Halloween party" said Lucas.

"Oh, yes!" cheered Sami. "Ever since I heard I've been looking forward to it. We already know what we'll dress up as".

"We?" asked Malcolm.

"Kate and me, of course" she explained.

"Oh, God" lamented Lucas in dismay, hiding his face with his hands. "I swear the two of you  _together_ are not good for the world".

Sami rolled her eyes. "Don't be so dramatic. God". She turned to Malcolm. "This guy, I swear".

Malcolm chuckled. "What are your costumes gonna be?"

"Ah, ah, ah" she said. "It's a surprise".

"You don't have a clue, do you?" he guessed.

"That's not true!" she gasped, offended. Then, she sighed. "Ok, it's true".

"Lie detector" said Lucas, amused. "I approve".

"Ok, that's talent" admitted Sami. "When my kids come back, I'll call you everytime I have even the tiniest suspicion they are trying to fool me".

"I guess I'll start charging then" Malcolm joked.

"Oh my God" said Sami, turning to Lucas. "I like this guy".

"Hold on a second" said Lucas, raising his hand. "You said 'when the kids come back'. Are they coming back?"

Sami smiled at him. "Yes. Yes, they are".

Lucas exhaled, as a big smile formed in his face and hugged Sami.

Knowing what it meant to him to have his daughter back, Malcolm smiled at them.

* * *

"I don't have anger issues!" said Sonny for what seemed to be the hundreth time, as he paced in front of the couch in the living room of the mansion.

On said couch sat a very much unamused Paul, with his arms crossed. "And that outburst proves your point, doesn't it?"

"Would you stop?" he hissed. "I don't have time for this. I have a meeting with Deimos here in two hours".

"Enough time to at least make the first step on solving your problem: admit you have one" said Paul as he clapped his hands.

"I  _don't_ have a problem!" Sonny insisted. "I'm ok, I just need to be more tolerable and accept the fact that my ex-friend gets to hang out with my daughter because the mother is a friend of his".

"Not to mention the young hot blond secret agent who's driving you crazy" added Paul. Seeing Sonny's glare, he coughed. "Not in a dirty way".

"I just don't understand how come he gets along so well with her" admitted Sonny. "What the hell does my daughter see in him?"

"You mean step-daughter" said Paul before he could stop himself.

Sonny glared at him again.

Paul nodded. "Sorry".

Still with his jaw set, Sonny sat on the other couch. "I vowed I wouldn't let anything happen to her, and I won't".

"Sonny, I know you don't trust Chad anymore, or Malcolm for some reason, but you gotta admit they mean no harm" Paul tried to reason.

"We're in a war, Paul" he shot back. "If Chad is attacked with Ari anywhere near him then she could get hurt or caught in the crossfire. As for Malcolm, he's dangerous".

"Oh please" said Paul. "He's not that bad. Sure, he works with weapons and goes in missions that could cost him his life but he's smart. Ari's not related to him. They have nothing but an emotional connection and that's it. What, you think he's gonna take her on one of his missions to see some battlefield or something?"

Sonny gave him a dangerous/horrified look.

"That was a joke!" he quickly said.

"For some reason Ari and Malcolm are getting close" said Sonny. "Gabi doesn't seem to care but I do".

"And what are you planning to do about it?" asked Paul.

"If Gabi doesn't let me put some restrictions to Ari's 'social life', 'cause if it was up to me she would be far away from the DiMeras and Malcolm, fine, I won't" he resolved. "But I'll be watching. Every single step he takes".

"Sonny, try to think for a moment" pleaded Paul. "He's a secret agent, a genius, whatever you want. But you must remember he's an eighteen year-old teenager. I'm not an expert, but I believe the law protects him. Not to mention the CIA does too. Don't try to do anything too risky that could get you in a lot, and I mean a lot, of trouble".

Sonny looked at him for a moment. He hated when Paul was right. "Fine. But I'll be watching him. You work with him quite often, don't you? Make sure he knows".

He got up and stormed out. Paul sighed, and took out his phone to make a call. A few moments later, they answered.

"Hey, Marlena" he greeted. "Yeah, he was here. Well, I made him talk. Call that progress. Ok, I'll try. Thanks".

* * *

Gabi paced in front of the bench at the park, feeling worse than before her meeting with Andre. She felt like garbage. But still, she clutched the paper with the phone number Andre had given her in her hand, not knowing what to do, torn between making the call or not.

Suddenly, she startled a bit when Abby showed up, panting.

"Oh my God, did you run all the way from the hospital to the park?" she asked.

"I had to" panted Abby. "Look!"

She dug in her pocket and took out a pair of keys.

"What's that?"

"I got them" said Abby. "The keys to the room where they keep the blood reserves. Dr Brady gave me a copy today".

"Oh" said Gabi, still a little emotionless. "Right".

Abby looked at her. "What's the matter?"

Gabi sighed. "I had a meeting with Andre today". She gave Abby the paper. "This is the number of one of his henchmen".

Abby took the paper. "Oh".

Gabi nodded. "Yeah. It's not gonna be easy".

"Having second thoughts?" she asked.

"No" Gabi replied. "We are gonna do this".

"Ok" said Abby. "Then we better get ready. When are we... Striking?".

"Soon" said Gabi. "Really soon".

* * *

Malcolm walked into his apartment and turned on the lights, singing along to the song in his iPod in a low voice.

"Finished with my woman, 'cause she couldn't help me with my mind..."

He tossed his keys on the table and dropped himself on the couch.

"People think I'm insane because I am frowning all the time..."

On the armchair, he had left a copy of the Spectator of the day. He picked it up and read the headline.

_SABOTAGE_

_Titan Industries shiploads were allegedly robbed and destroyed by vandals who claimed being looking for money for drugs. CEO Deimos Kiriakis blames business competitor Chad DiMera for the attack. No statement from DiMera Enterprises has been released._

"At least I get to keep myself busy" he mumbled.

He opened the newspaper and found an announcement:

_REMEMBERING WILL_

_This Monday October 9th, the Horton and Brady families will celebrate a mass in honor of who in life was William Robert Horton at St. Luke's, in conmemoration of the second year after his sensitive death._

"Right".

Malcolm wondered if Lucas had forgotten to mention that or he just simply didn't want to. He understood. He couldn't even start to imagine how painful it must have been for him and Sami to lose a son. And maybe he had no reason to be invited. He wasn't related to the Hortons nor the Bradys anyway.

"I tell you to enjoy life, I wish I could but it's too late..."

The final guitar riffs were played, thundering in his eardrums, and the song ended. He took out his headphones, and put the newspaper away.

Suddenly, a sound startled him. Like something hitting the floor.

Malcolm raised an eyebrow.  _"I certainly don't have a pet, and I don't believe in ghosts. Only one explanation"._

He slowly and quietly got up from the couch.

_"But the lock hasn't been forced. Maybe whoever's in here entered through the window. It couldn't have been too dificult, I live in the first floor"._

He adopted a cautious posture, and took out his gun. The sound had come from his own bedroom.

_"Mental note: get a window lock. And change the curtains. And buy a new pillow. Maybe get a dog"._ He shook his head.  _"Concentrate, Cooper! You're about to kill the bastard who dared break in your place. Nobody messes with me"._

With that in mind, he slowly walked towards his bedroom door.

Malcolm grabbed the knob and waited. The sounds coming from the room stopped. He stood still for about two minutes before opening the door abruptly and pointing the gun at whoever was there.

Malcolm's eyes widened just a little bit. He took a quick glance at the room and the person he busted. On top of the bed was the suitcase with rifles, guns, grenades and other military stuff he had brought with him open, his wardrobe was open too and made a mess, and Malcolm decided that, considerong past events, he couldn't be too surprised to be aiming a gun at Sonny's startled face.

* * *

"And how soon is... Well, soon?" asked Abby, frowning at her own question.

Gabi rolled her eyes. "I don't know. It has to be someday we can get them together. We can also make them meet, I don't know".

Abby thought for a moment, then snapped her fingers and grinned. "I know!"

"Really? What?"

"Does October 9th sound important to you?" Abby asked, playing with her hair.

"Oh, yeah, how can I forget it? One of the worst days of my life" replied Gabi, making a face.

"Exactly!" said Abby. "What better day to bring Will back than the day he was taken away from us two years ago?"

Gabi opened her eyes wide, and turned to her friend. "Oh my God, Abby, you're a genius!"

"Thanks" smiled Abby.

"We can reveal Malcolm as Will before, during or after the mass!"

"Oh, before the mass would be perfect. We won't have to mourn anymore".

"Ok then" said Gabi. "Then we'll go ahead with the plan".

"Yeah, I still don't like the part where we have to attack someone to reach our goal" said Abby as her friend took out her phone.

Gabi glared at her.

"Ok, I'll shut up".

Gabi shook her head, and dialed the number on the paper.

_"Moore"_

"Andre DiMera gave me this number" said Gabi, again trying to sound intimidating. "I got a job for you".

_"Who?"_

"First of all, how much will you charge me?"

_"We'll discuss that later"_ said Moore.  _"Just say who"._

"I-I don't even want him dead, I just want him hurt" rushed Gabi. "And it's not for now, I need it done for next Monday".

_"Hurt?"_ chuckled Moore.  _"I'll charge you as if I had taken out the son of a bitch"._

"Hey, no need to be rude!" scolded Gabi.

_"You want me to do this or no?"_ Moore shot back.

Gabi looked at Abigail, who nodded. "Ok. But don't kill him".

_"I won't"_ assured Moore.  _"Now say the name"._

Gabi glanced at Abigail again and exhaled, giving herself some strenght.

"Lucas Horton".

* * *

"Well, Jackson" said Malcolm, aiming his gun. "We see each other again. You know, it's kinda funny, you keep acting like I'm the last thing you want to see in this world, yet next thing I know, you break in my apartment and look through my things".

He gave him a mocking look. "Has anyone told you you have some troubled mind?"

"What do you want?" asked Sonny, eyes never leaving the gun that was so terrifyingly close to them.

"What do I want-You can't be serious!" exclaimed Malcolm, throwing his arms to the air, turning around and walking into the living room, allowing Sonny to follow him. But when Sonny motioned to go to the door, Malcolm raised the gun again, making him stop.

"In case you didn't know, you're the one who invaded my privacy, so I should be the one asking what you want".

Sonny stared at him for a moment with his jaw set. "Privacy?" He pointed to the room. "You call that privacy? Some AK-47's, UZI..."

"UZI?" Malcolm frowned. "Why on Earth would I want an UZI when I have my own machine gun?"

"This isn't funny, Malcolm!" shouted Sonny. "Those weapons and photos of almost everyone in town can only mean one thing: you're some psycho stalker and that CIA crap is just to hide your real whereabouts".

Malcolm gave him a bored look. "Which would be?"

"You're not some agent out to save the world or some garbage like that" spat Sonny. "You're a terrorist".

Malcolm didn't know how to respond to that. He knew Sonny had issues with him, issues he tried to understand, but this was beyond crazy. Looking down and putting his gun away, he nodded slightly.

"Ok, here's what gonna happen" he said, taking out his phone. "I'm gonna enable the flashlight of my phone, you're gonna look at it and instantly forget everything that's happened".

Sonny frowned. "What?"

"Oh, I'm sorry, I thought it was 'talking crazy' time" replied Malcolm sarcastically. "But what's really gonna happen is that you're gonna leave". He stood closely to Sonny's face. "And get some help!"

And with that said, Malcolm opened the door, grabbed Sonny by the collar of his shirt and threw him out.

"You don't wanna mess with me, Jackson. I don't care about the problems you have with my resemblance to you-know-who, but I've had it" he warned. "You don't know what I'm capable of, so don't look for a showdown between us again".

He was about to close the door, but quickly remembered something. "Oh, you can spread the world about your little discovery, but trust me, no one's gonna believe you. And I know you haven't taken pictures because you must have been so excited or intrigued that you forgot".

He closed the door.

Sonny glared at the door, wanting to shout something but stopped himself. He  _had_ been acting stupid recently. A part of him wanted to blame Malcolm for everything, though.

_"Real mature, Kiriakis"._

Sonny walked away, as he suddenly remembered he had been so busy snooping that he hadn't taken any pictures of the weapons and other stuff.

But he wouldn't admit Malcolm was right.

* * *

_In an unknown place, everything looked dark and foggy. Only the light of a torch illuminated a small portion of what seemed to be a door with a small, squared window._

_Yes, it indeed was. A door in a dark hallway. Only the sound of the wind and footsteps far away were heard._

_But nothing could be seen through that little window. Only a little blue light, more fog, and that was that._

_The misterious door didn't have a knob, yet it seemed locked anyway. Two little shiny dots, one red and the other green, were next to it._

_Then the fog in the little window seemed to fade away..._

_But suddenly, the silhouette of a hand was seen hitting the window, wide open, just once, and fell, as sounds of a heavy breathing was heard, and grew louder, and louder, and louder..._

"AAHHH!"

Caroline Brady startled awake.

"Ma?" said Kayla as she rushed into the room, having heard the scream. "Ma, what is it?"

Poor Caroline was panting.

Kayla started to calm her down. "Ma, it's ok. Just breathe, in and out, in and out".

Caroline followed her daughter's instructions. Once she was calmer, Kayla got her a glass of water.

"Ma, are you ok? What happened?"

"Oh, dear, I just had the strangest dream" began Caroline. "I don't even know if it was a nightmare, but there was a lot of fog and silence, and I've never been a fan of mystery plots..."

"Ma, Ma, it's ok" said Kayla, joining hands with her. "It was just a dream, nothing to worry about".

Caroline looked at her for a minute, before nodding. "Oh, you're right, what a fool". She chuckled. "It's not real".

Kayla smiled at her. "Let's just go back to sleep, how about that?".

"Sounds like a plan" said Caroline, as she accomodated herself in the bed.

Once she was ready, Kayla kissed her forehead. "Goodnight, Ma".

"Goodnight, sweetheart".

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song featured is Paranoid by Black Sabbath


	8. Chapter 8

_Toc, toc, toc._

Sami left whatever she was doing and ran to the door when she heard the knocks. She stopped, fixed her hair and dress, and opened it. She could swear her smile was so big, it covered her entire face.

Suddenly, she was on the floor, as three little children, a blonde and two brunettes, having tackled her, were all over her, cheering and laughing.

"Oh, my sweet little angels!" she exclaimed, once she got enough air to say anything at all.

She enjoyed the big hug they had given her for a while until someone at the door coughed, clearing his throat. She opened her eyes and smiled even more when she saw the man who had brought the kids: a man in a large suit and a big hat, that he took off, revealing himself to be a very much alive EJ DiMera.

She stood up and hugged him tightly. "Oh, it's so good to see you all again- Oh my God!" She quickly pulled EJ and the kids inside the apartment, looked if there was anyone around, and closed the door. "Did anyone see you?"

"No one" replied EJ. "I stopped the car and ushered the kids inside the building before anyone could".

"Oh, good" she sighed in relief. She turned to her children. "I got your bedrooms ready, but first I ordered some pizza".

The kids cheered as they ran to the dining room. Sami turned to her husband and kissed him deeply.

"This is a special occasion" she smiled.

"Indded, sweetheart" agreed EJ.

* * *

"Hi!" greeted Abigail.

"Hey" said Malcolm as he joined her at her table at the Brady Pub. "So, what it is you wanted to talk to me about?"

"Oh, I just wanted to have a conversation" she lied, waving her hand dismissively.

Malcolm raised an eyebrow. "About?"

"Well..." she started.  _"Dammit, Abby, think, think!"_

"Well?" asked Malcolm, a little amused.

Abby suddenly had an idea. "You know, the other day, when you caught that guy that stalked you, I couldn't help but notice you know martial arts".

Malcolm chuckled. "Well, it's been a while since that happened. I'm surprised you're taking interest in that now".

Abby shrugged. "It's been some busy days, and I remembered a while ago and wondered, how come you did that? I mean, I once saw Chad watching something similar on TV, I believe the WWE or something like that".

"Right" said Malcolm. "I had lessons. I know karate, some wrestling, that stuff".

"Oooh, then I can hire you as my own personal bodyguard?" she teased.

"You wish" laughed Malcolm. "But if one day my economy goes downhill, I'll take that into consideration".

Abby chuckled, before suddenly realizing she had ran out of a conversation topic again, staying silent for a while.

"What?" asked Malcolm.

"Nothing" lied Abby. "Um, so, uh, how are your parents?".

_"Great, Abigail, just great"_ she thought.

Malcolm smirked. "Dead. Or missing. Probably dead, too".

Abby nodded and looked down. "Right".

* * *

Deimos walked around the living room of the mansion, talking on the phone.

"Find out where the call came from and get back to me!"

He hung up, sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"I'm going to assume you're having one of those days" said Victor, walking into the room.

Deimos turned around and rolled his eyes. "I already told you, I'm not in the mood for your jokes".

Victor smirked. "You're never in the mood for anything, Deimos".

Deimos just glared at him.

Victor nodded as he went to pour himself some scotch. "Ok, who is it this time?"

"Who do you think?" Deimos barked. "The DiMeras!"

"Ah, never gets old" said Victor. "I told you you had to put a stop to this before it's too late".

"I am" he replied. "I just need some time to..."

His phone rang again. Deimos raised his hand to make Victor wait and picked up. "Yes? Are you sure? Ok, good".

He hung up.

"So?" asked Victor.

"Well, brother" said Deimos with a smirk. "Looks like I got the confirmation I needed".

* * *

Once again, Chad was looking after Ari and Thomas, but this time it was in the playroom of the DiMera mansion. It was a Sunday afternoon, and he was more than happy to spend his day of rest with the two little babies.

_"And the playroom is way safer than the park"_ he decided, thinking about the time he faced Victor.

"Ok kids, I'm gonna bring some milk and cookies, stay here" he announced.

"Yay!" said Ari, busy playing with a teddy bear, while Thomas did the same with a stuffed elephant.

Just to make sure they wouldn't get out and get lost or hurt themselves, Chad closed the door of the room and headed dowstairs to the kitchen, where out of pure casualty, Stefano was having a cup of coffee.

"Are the children alright?" he asked.

"They are" Chad replied, getting the bottle of milk out of the fridge and looking for the little cups and straws. "Is Andre here, by the way?"

"He went out" replied Stefano. "He said he had some business to take care of".

"That usually means trouble" he commented, taking boxes out of the cupboard as he looked for the box of chocolate-chips cookies. When he didn't find any, he turned around and looked at his father.

"Have you eaten the cookies I bought last week?"

Stefano frowned at the question, and glared at him. "Is that supposed to be some cruel joke? You know I have diabetes and you're asking me if I took some cookies? What in God's name is your problem?"

Ignoring most of his father's rambling, knowing he was overreacting, Chad found and took out the box of cookies. "Nevermind, got them".

He took the bottle of milk and the cups, and motioned to leave and go upstairs, but Stefano, still glaring and crossing his arms, cleared his throat.

Chad sighed and turned around.

Stefano looked at him expectantly.

"I'm sorry for asking you if you had eaten cookies knowing that you're a diabetic" said Chad with a bored tone, and rolling his eyes.

Stefano raised an eyebrow, but gave up and returned to his coffee.

Chad took that as Stefano's "permission" to go, so he headed upstairs. But big was his surprise when he found the door of the playroom open.

Frowning, he rushed inside and left everything on a little table. Then, he checked the room.

_"What the hell?"_

Thomas had fallen asleed on the floor, curling into a little ball and hugging tightly the stuffed elephant. But Ari had disappeared.

* * *

Malcolm looked at Abigail apparenty struggling with herself for a moment. But then decided something was not right. "You know, I'm starting to get the feeling that I'm making you nervous. Or awkward. Is there a problem?"

"What? No!" she quickly answered. "I'm just..."

"Examining my face?" Malcolm guessed. "Do I look like this person that much?"

"Well, not  _that_ much" admitted Abby. "Um, for example, he had blue eyes".

"And mine are amber".

"That's right!" she said. "And he was really good with languages. And, and, he was very loyal, and sweet, and..."

Malcolm frowned. "Do I look like Judas to you?"

"Oh my God, no!" she quickly said.  _"Dammit, I'm screwing this up!"_

"Abigail, I have a talent to detect liars" he said. "And right now I'm getting a strong feeling that you're lying to me. Or, for better or worse, hiding something from me".

Abby opened and closed her mouth several times.  _"Busted"._

"So, apart from the eyes, I'm blond, I can be sweet when I want to, I am loyal too, and I can speak four different languages apart from English". He narrowed his eyes. "I'm starting to see where you want to go. I think I know what this meeting was about".

Abigail stared at him for a moment, and gave him a nervous smile. "Sorry".

Before Malcolm could reply, she stood up and literally ran away so quickly, she almost tripped with her own feet.

Malcolm saw her leave and sighed. He didn't bother to follow her.

"Yeah, busted".

* * *

EJ sat across Sami in the table in the dining room, sharing some tea.

"This flat is very nice" he commented. "I'm surprised they let you have it with three rooms, three bathrooms and all that".

Sami made a face. "Yeah, I honestly believe they didn't bother to ask me anything since I already have a reputation, but, eh".

EJ shook his head. "I'd make anyone who thinks poorly of you  _regret_ disrespect you".

"I know you would" she smiled.

"And I'm glad we got here" he said, taking her hand. "Just in time".

Sami looked down. "Tomorrow marks two years since we lost him".

"Is everything ready for the mass?" he asked.

Sami nodded. "Lucas and I arranged everything. The Horton and Brady families are coming. We invited a few Kiriakises on behalf of Sonny, and Chad's also coming".

She looked at him. "You should come too".

"I don't think that's a good idea" said EJ, hesitating. "I wouldn't want to steal our dear William's thunder by revealing myself".

"But I want you there" argued Sami. "Ok, maybe you're right about drawing the attention away. Though Will liked to be discrete anyway".

EJ chuckled, as he came up with a plan. "How about this? I go to the mass, but disguised. No one will know I'm there and everyone will get to honor Will's memory properly".

Sami smiled at him. "That's better".

* * *

"Confirmation?" asked Victor. "What confirmation?"

Deimos turned around. "The call that ordered the attack to my shiploads, again, was made from, surprise, the DiMera mansion". He faced Victor again. "That's all the proof I need to put an end to this once and for all".

"There are five people in that house" said Victor, frowning. "Two of them are not even involved. One's practically untouchable. The other two are powerful enough to avoid this. That leaves you... No one to take out".

"That's where you're wrong, brother" he replied.

"Did they even tell you who made the call anyway?" wondered Victor.

"There was no need to ask" said Deimos. "Because I'm sure I know. You see, the DiMera family is a united front. Whoever I decide to take out will make them tremble and lose stability. Fortunately for them, I guess, I know who ordered it".

"You must be very careful, Deimos" warned Victor. "When it comes to this, even the slightest mistake can turn this war into a whirlwind of hell".

"I will" he replied as he took out his phone. "Chad DiMera is a dead man".

Victor watched as Deimos waited a few seconds before speaking. "Rourke, this is Deimos Kiriakis. I got a job for you".

* * *

Kate and Andre were having a martini at TBD. Some people were still creeped out about that pair, but they actually never seemed to care. They were that kind of couple of friends that were oftenly mistaken as a romantic couple.

"So, how's everything at DiMera Enterprises?" asked Kate.

"It's going smoothly" replied Andre. "Father's actually very pleased with our work".

"Wonderful" she said. "I have to say, I'm impressed too. With everything going on between you and the Kiriakises, I would expect tension and stress at the mansion".

Andre chuckled. "Unlike that family, we actually do know how to run a business. We've always been one step ahead of them".

Kate was amused. "Well, I'm glad you are optimistic. I like you attitude of superiority. Kind of reminds me of Victor".

Andre's mouth dropped. "It's not polite to insult people".

Kate chuckled and raised her glass. "The day DiMera wins over Kiriakis will definitely be big".

"Oh, it certainly will" said Andre, raising his glass too and taking a sip. He put it on the table again. "But I believe we have an important day ahead of us soon, too".

"My precious Will" sighed Kate. "You know, I'll always carry the guilt of being part of ruining his marriage. Probably what happened next wouldn't have".

"There's no way to know that" said Andre.

"Still, I played a part, and he'll never know how sorry I am for that" she said. She exhaled and finished her cup. "Ah, that's why I'll pray tomorrow. Hopefully, he'll be up there listening".

Andre looked up before glancing at Kate. "I'm sure he will. You know, I never got to meet him when I came back. I remember him as a boy, always with Samantha. I think we had a confrontation or two. I wonder how he would have reacted had he seen me".

"He probably would have freaked out and run the other way" chuckled Kate. Laughing at Andre's glare, she felt a little better. "You know, I believe he would remember he was holding a grudge against you for harassing his family".

"What did he know anyway?" grunted Andre.

"Now, changing the subject before I start to cry" said Kate, composing herself. "DiMera. How are you going to deal with Titan?"

"Oh, I already have" said Andre with an evil grin.

Kate rolled her eyes. "Uh oh, I know that look. What have you done now?"

Andre finished his drink too. "Let's just say I took care of some recent losses Titan has suffered over the past few weeks".

"That was you?" asked Kate, surprised. "And is Chad ok with you sabotaging the competition that way".

Andre shrugged. "I believe he would be, yes".

"He doesn't know?" she said. "You know how dangerous Deimos Kiriakis can be. If Chad gets in trouble..."

"I'll take care of Deimos" said Andre, calling the waiter for another martini. "Chad will be just fine".

* * *

Ari had gotten bored of waiting for Chad and the cookies, and groaned in annoyance when Thomas, her playmate, fell asleep hugging the stuffed animal. How could anyone fall asleep during a tea party? (But without the real tea anyway).

She decided Chad must have had gotten distracted by talking to the old creepy guy who also lived there, the one her uncle Chad referred to as his father. Though she couldn't understand how someone so nice as her uncle could be the son of that weirdo.

And so, she left the teddy bear next to her sleeping friend (technically, they were cousins), and went to the door. She stood on her tiptoes to grab the knob, opened it, and got out of the room.

Being the mansion so big, Ari, eventually and again, got lost in a laberynth of hallways and rooms. That's right, she couldn't even find the stairs. But then, she saw, at the end of one hallway, a light coming out of a room that had the door open. She ran to it as fast as her little legs could carry her.

She got to the room and entered. Inside, there was a big table with a big chair, and a shelf full of books. Ari liked to read, but those books had strange, of not boring, names, about business managing and other stuff she didn't understand quite well. Though there were also some books that promised a good story, but she was so little and the book so high, there was no way she could get to them.

She turned her attention to the table. It was actually a desk, with some drawers she couldn't open because they were locked. So, she climbed the big chair to see what was over the desk. There was a big computer, and she told herself to ask Uncle Chad to let her see if there were any games she could play there the next time she visited.

There were also a printer, some big folders and files and papers with a lot, and that means a lot, of words written on them that looked very, very important. She even recognized Chad's signature in some of them. There was even a little vase with pens in it.

There were also some picture frames. One seemed to have been taken recently: it was of Stefano, Andre and Chad in a pose that reflected their superiority. There was also a big one of her aunt Abby. Ari liked her aunt, she was nice with her family, she was her godmother and always gave her cookies and ice cream whenever she could. There was also one of Thomas happily (or by how he looked on the picture, intriguely) playing with the same teddy bear she had been playing with a while ago.

But the last one had her amused. It was kind of funny. It featured a young Chad with a blond guy she barely recognized. Strange, he looked a lot like her friend-no, uncle-Malcolm. She even recognized a few of her own features in him! In that picture, it was night. Both Chad and the guy had big smiles towards the camera as they had their arms around each other's shoulders, their mouths open and their tongues out while making the sign of the horns with their free hands. Behind them was a stage, with some guy dressed in black and wearing a red tie that played a guitar and sang. She stared at the photo in awe.

Meanwhile, Chad, after looking in all the rooms, decided to see in his office as a last attempt to find Ari. He went, and sighed in relief as he saw her sitting on his chair, with one of his frames in her hands. He approached and looked, feeling something in his chest when he saw the photo.

_"That concert was just awesome"_ he thought.  _"I barely remember it but it was awesome. Except having to spend all day in the line to get in the stadium but it was worth it"._

When she felt someone was looking at her, Ari looked up, meeting Chad's eyes. Chad caressed Ari's hair, as she put her finger over the blond guy in the photo.

"That picture was taken when Uncle Chad was young" he explained. He looked at the photo and then at her. "Do you know who was with me that day?"

Ari shook her head.

Chad smiled at her. "That guy" he pointed at his friend's face. "Was your daddy".

Ari blinked a few times before looking to the photo again. Now she saw the resemblance. "Daddy?"

"That's right" he said. "Your daddy and I were best friends once. We got a time apart, but I like to believe we reconnected before, um..."

He trailed off. He wasn't sure how Gabi had explained to her why all of a sudden Will was gone. But Ari took care of his doubt.

"Mommy said Daddy had to go to Heaven with an angel to protect me from evil with God's help" she said.

Chad looked at her, impressed.

"But she also told me Daddy Sonny was sad because he had traveled and couldn't say goodbye" she continued.

"We all were, Dear" he said. "Because we didn't want him to go. But hey, did you know that he actually never left?"

Ari frowned and stared at him.

Chad smiled at her again. "The ones that love us never really leave us. You can always find them..." He placed his finger in Ari's chest. "In here".*

Ari poked her chest as Chad did the same with his. She looked at the picture again, and then at Chad, and smiled.

Chad smiled at her too. "Now, are you ready for some cookies and milk".

Ari happily nodded and put the frame back to where it was, getting down from the chair and taking his hand, letting him lead her to the playroom again.

* * *

"Do you remember" asked EJ, after some moments. "When we met again?"

Sami got a dreamy face. "How can I forget it? You were my light of hope during the worst period of my life".

_"That's it! That's how I'm gonna get out of here!" said an excited Sami as she came up with a plan to escape from the DiMeras after Andre kidnapped her._

_"They are never gonna see it coming" she said determinately._

_She actually didn't have a plan. Or what most people would call a plan. Hers consisted in improvising for the most part. But that was the best she could come up with without getting desperate._

_However, before she could do anything, she screamed and jumped back as the door burst open and the guard outside fell on his back inside, unconscious._

_Sami, shocked, looked at the motionless body before looking up. Some dust that had risen at the door didn't let her see well, and she could only detect a tall shadow._

_But then, the shadow moved forward, and her widened more and more until her misterious savior came out of the dust, revealing himself: her though-to-be-dead husband, EJ DiMera._

_"Oh my God" exhaled Sami as she saw him. "Oh my God!"_

_She ran to him as tears filled her eyes, and jumped and embraced him with all her strenght. EJ also embraced her as both of them laughed in relief for seeing each other again._

_"I though I''d never see you again" cried Sami. She let go of EJ's arms, slapped him across the face and before EJ got out of his shock, she hugged him again. Then, she let go again. "But how? How are you alive?"_

_EJ was about to respond, when they looked to the side after hearing another voice._

_"I heard noises over there!"_

_"I promise I'll tell you everything" he said, as he took out a gun from his pocket. "But first, we gotta get out of here"._

_EJ raised his gun and fired, running out as Sami followed him._

"All I had were those passwords you had left me" remembered Sami. "It was literally a godsend you came, I practically didn't have a plan".

"Like I said" EJ replied. "I came just in time. I managed to escape that hospital I was being held in and found my way back to you".

"Speaking of that" she said. "How did you find me? I had just been kidnapped by Andre".

EJ chuckled. "Only one of my men remaint loyal to me. I stole a phone and gave him a call, as I couldn't find you, and ordered to tell me absolutely everything that happened at the mansion".

"You had your own spy" she said.

"That's right" he answered. "That was how I found out about Father's heart attack, Andre coming back and Chad being framed for the Necktie murders. But when I was informed about William's demise, I just knew I had to go back. I knew I had to find you and comfort you. And I saw my chance when he told me Andre had abducted you".

"And you did" said Sami. "And I'm so glad you were there for me when I needed you most".

EJ took her hand and squeezed. "And again, I'm here. I'll be there for you. Always".

* * *

Gabi went to the door with an angry look on her face when someone started desperately pounding on the door.

"Why the hell would anybody need to pound like an animal?!" she raged, and opened the door, jumping back just in time before Abby could accidentally punch her.

"What the hell?" she said.

"Ah! Sorry" said Abby, walking in. "We need to talk".

"What? What happened?" asked Gabi.

Abigail dropped her purse on Gabi's couch and turned around to face her. "This sadistic nonsense has to stop".

Gabi frowned. "What are you talking about?"

"We need to call off the attack on Uncle Lucas!" she replied. "Our assuption was wrong. Malcolm's not Will".

"How are you so sure?" asked Gabi.

"Well, first of all, the age difference is actually very obvious" said Abby. "The similarities are there, and he's aware of them, but he's definitely not interested in them. I mean, that's gotta mean something!"

"Did he say anything about it?"

Abby looked down. "He might have caught me and figured out why I wanted to speak to him".

"Abigail!" Gabi scolded, looking up in dismay. "This gives us enough reason to think..."

"No, Gabi" said Abby. She held Gabi's arms. "Please, come to your senses. This has to stop. We are not going to prove anything because there's nothing to prove".

Gabi looked at Abigail's pleading eyes and sighed. "You're right. I just wanted my baby to have her daddy back so bad..."

"I know" said Abigail, letting go. "And Will would be very moved to know that".

Gabi nodded, and took out her phone. "I'm gonna cancel that hit right now".

She dialed Moore and waited a few seconds.

_"Moore"._

"Moore, hi. This is Gabriella Hernandez. Listen, um, I want to call off the deal".

On the other side of the phone, Moore frowned.  _"What?"_

Gabi hesitated a little. "Yeah, um, there's been some changes and we won't need your services any longer. But" she quickly added. "I'm gonna pay you anyway".

_"You better"_ warned Moore.

"Oh, excuse me? Is that a threat?" said Gabi, frowning.

Moore chuckled.  _"Of course not. Just pay, and we're done"._

"That's the plan" replied Gabi, and hung up. She turned to Abigail. "That guy gives me the creeps".

Abigail sighed in relief. "Never again".

* * *

Malcolm wandered through the park, with his hands in his pockets and looking down. Suddenly he bumped into someone.

"Sorry".

That someone, Lucas, turned around and saw him. "Malcolm".

Malcolm turned around. "Oh. Hey, Lucas".

"Hey" he said. "Um, how are you? How's it going?"

"As good as it can" smiled Malcolm. "Listen, um, I heard, I actually read, about this mass tomorrow..."

"Yeah" Lucas sadly nodded. "We couldn't have anything proper last year due to some problems in town, so I hope tomorrow makes up for that".

"I'm sure will" he said.

Lucas nodded again. "Hey, um, everyone's going to come, Jennifer wasreally kind to put that anouncement in the paper, so I guess we kind of invited the whole town". He chuckled. "Why don't you come too?"

"I don't know" said Malcolm. "I wouldn't want to intrude in an intimate family reunion".

"Some friends are coming too" said Lucas. "And Sami, Gabi, even Ari have grown on you. So come on, on behalf of them, and me, I'm formally inviting you".

He took out his hand. "I'm not taking a no for an answer".

Malcolm looked at his hand and, after a few seconds, shook it.

"Ok, I'll go".

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> * This is a quote from the Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban movie.


	9. Chapter 9

The day started a little cold, as a normal autumn morning. It seemed quite normal, except for a strange silence and melancholia Malcolm noticed in the environment. Even he felt it, but found no explanation why.

_"October 9th"._

As he walked through the square, he saw Gabi with Arianna on her lap, sitting on a bench. She was talking to her, but he couldn't hear them.

"Do you know what's going on today, sweetheart?" she was asking.

Ari shook her head in response.

"Well, today we are going to remember your Daddy" she said.

"Daddy?" Ari repeated, as her face started to lit up.

"Yes" she smiled. "We're going to go to the church, and send him lots of love and special 'messages' and ask God to take care of him so he can take care of you".

"But I miss him" said Ari, pouting.

"Oh, we all do, sweetie" said Gabi. "And he sure misses you a lot. But for some reasons I'll explain when you're older, he had to go".

Ari looked down for a bit, before looking up again. "Uncle Chad says he never left".

Gabi frowned a little. "He did?"

"Yeah" she said. "He said Daddy was here". She put her little hand on her mother's chest, and then put it in her own. "And here".

Gabi smiled at her. "Well, I never thought I'd say this, but maybe you'll need to listen to him a little more".

Malcolm felt sorry for Ari as he heard them talk. He knew what it was to grow up without a father. He felt the need to do anything for her.

Shaking his feelings away, he finally approached them.

"Big day, isn't it?"

Gabi turned around. "Hey".

Ari got down of Gabi's lap and rushed to him, hugging his legs.

Malcolm patted her in the head. "Hey, little one".

He turned to Gabi. "Sorry. Couldn't help but eavesdrop".

Gabi shrugged. "It's a common thing here, don't worry". She accomodated herself in the bench so she could look at him. "Today's the second anniversary of her dad's passing".

"I heard" he replied. "It was in the paper".

"Are you coming to the mass?"

Malcolm nodded slightly. "I was invited. I had my doubts, but I'll be there".

Ari looked at him, beaming. "You're coming?"

"I am" he replied, widening his eyes, exciting her. "You know, I wish I had met your dad. As far as I've been told, he was a nice guy".

"He was" chuckled Gabi.

Ari nodded in agreement.

"That's really great" he said. He checked his watch. "What time does that mass start?"

"Uh". She checked her watch too. "Eleven. That gives me two hours to go home and get both of us ready and get there in time".

"Ok, I'll be there" said Malcolm, as he encouraged Ari to go back with Gabi. "I'll see you at the church, little one. Wait for me, will you?"

"M'kay" she said. "Bye, Uncle Malcolm" she whispered secretly, and ran with Gabi.

"See you" said Gabi, as she lifted Ari and left. Ari waved at him.

Malcolm waved back. Once they were gone, he sighed. "You know, little one" he muttered, remembering his own photo as a baby. "Considering some facts, I really do wish I had met your father".

* * *

Sami walked into the living room, wearing a black dress, putting on her earrings.

"Kids, we get out in a few!" she called.

"What's with all the rush when you got plenty of time before the mass starts?" wondered EJ as he got out of his and Sami's room.

"Some final arrangements" she replied. "Lucas and I are meeting Father Louis and we'll make sure everything's perfect". She finished with her earrings before yelling again. "KIDS!"

"Or maybe, you're just trying to keep yourself busy" he reasoned, holding her arms. "But you can't stress yourself out on this".

Sami shrugged. "Maybe I am trying to keep myself busy. But it's better than to think about why I'm going to church on a Monday".

"It's going to be ok, Darling" he said. "You're going to be surrounded by people who love you and loved William. And remember, I will be there too".

Sami smiled at the thought. "Yeah, I'm gonna love that. Oh" she realized. "You got your disguise ready?"

"I do" EJ replied. "Wait for a moment". He got into the room.

Knowing EJ would be inside a few minutes, Sami took out her phone and dialed. The call was picked up quite rapidly.

_"Hey"_ greeted Chad.

Sami frowned. "Hey, Chad, were you expecting my call?"

_"I was actually wondering why it was taking you so long"_ he chuckled.

Sami made a face. "Whatever. I was just calling to remind you that you and only you are allowed in that church. Don't you  _dare_  bring your father and brother".

_"And there it is"_  said Chad as he snapped his fingers.  _"The reminder. Sami Brady, you're starting to get really predictable"._

Sami rolled her eyes. "Just stressed".

Chad chuckled. _"Hey, don't worry. I made it very clear to them that they're not welcome at the church. Father's quite disappointed, but I guess he understands. Andre, on the other hand, doesn't seem to care very much"._

"Good" she said, firmly. "Today is a special day, and I don't want them bothering us".

_"They won't, I promise"_

Chad waited a few seconds before talking again.  _"And... So, how's my resurrected big brother?"_

Sami chuckled. "Good. He looks very healthy and is eager to start over with his second chance in life".

_"He gonna be there?"_

"Yep. Under disguise".

_"Ooh, undercover. Kind of like a secret agent"_ he said.

"Pff, please. It'll be a miracle if no one notices his presence" she snorted.

"I will" said Chad. "But as long as he doesn't talk to anyone, you'll be just fine".

Sami closed her eyes in dismay. "Ugh, his accent".

_"Hey, I wouldn't have arranged your hiding spot and then his arrival to Salem yesterday if I weren't sure you would all be ok and safe"._

"And I'm thankful for that, you know it".

Chad nodded.  _"Now, speaking of unwanted things, you know that Abby and I are married now, and she's actually going to support Lucas, but if you can't..."_

"No, no" said Sami. "EJ and I are ok, and I'm over what happened. And she's your wife, and family, so there should actually be no question about whether she should or shouldn't come. But, don't forget to bring your beautiful son, I'm dying to meet him".

Chad chuckled.  _"I will. Tell EJ I said hi. I'll see you all at the church"._

"Bye, Chad" she said, and hung up.

Just on that moment, EJ got out of the room, wearing a large coat and a discreet hat. "Hey, who was that?"

Sami put her hands on her hips and stared at him. "That's it? You call that a disguise?"

EJ shrugged. "I could use a fake mustache and brush my hair differently".

"Right, because Salemites are dumb and oblivious, aren't they?" she said, rolling her eyes. "It was Chad, he says hi. And you won't be allowed to use that hat inside the chapel, it's a lack of respect".

"Fine" said EJ. "But you'll help me. Maybe some makeup could do".

Sami groaned. "Ok, ok. I'll try to think about something quick".

* * *

Sonny sat on a bench at the park alone, already dressed. He had his elbows on his kness, and his head on his hands.

It had been two years since that phone call changed his life.

_"Sonny, I'm sorry I have to tell you this but... Will was murdered tonight"._

Sonny closed his eyes. He was with Paul now. He was allegedly over what had happened. Allegedly, because the thoughts of that tragic night and the week that followed still made him feel as sad and devastated as he had felt then.

"Looks like you could use someone to talk to".

Sonny opened his eyes and turned around. Paul had come with two cups of coffee, and went to sit with him.

"Though day, huh?"

"It's just started" said Sonny, taking one of the cups. "And I already want it to end. I want this date not to exist anymore, I want it to be erased from my calendar, I want October 10th to come right after October 8th".

Paul chuckled. "That's quite odd".

Sonny sighed. "Will made mistakes. But so have I. It's a cruel irony. He was taken away from me the minute I was ready to forgive and forget, the moment I decided to take him again".

"You didn't know" said Paul. "You leaving and him dying were two completely separate events".

"I still feel I could have done something" he sniffed. "I wasted more than a lot of time holding a grudge for what he did. And I never realized he had also been affected by me".

"He cheating..."

"It's not the cheating" said Sonny firmly. "We both took each other for granted. I do reflect on what happened with Will and me sometimes, but I've realized this time of the year is when I do it the most. And believe me, Paul, there was a lot of things we did wrong".

"Yeah, but..."

Sonny gave him a glare. "Don't you dare to bring that up, Paul. Remember that you were also involved. I don't hold it against you, and I don't want to hear about that ever again. Especially not today".

Paul nodded. "Ok, I'm sorry".

Sonny took a deep breath. "I guess I'm trying to embolden myself to go to that church, give my eulogy and remember him once again. Not that I don't the rest of the year. But this is the first time we are honoring his memory since he died".

"Last year was definitely a disaster" Paul commented. "Those lunatics had to come and ruin everything, huh?"

"Yeah" he replied. "So, I guess I'll see you there. I must meet Sami and Lucas before the mass".

"Yeah, about that" said Paul. "I don't think my presence will be too appreciated there".

Sonny frowned. "What? That's ridiculous".

"Is it? I'm pretty sure I'm secretly seen as the home-wrecker that screwed your marriage".

"A factor maybe, the cause, I'm not sure".

Paul stared at him. "That's not funny".

"Just go" insisted Sonny. "They don't see you that way. And I could use some support. I'm the only Kiriakis going, except, perhaps, Brady and Maggie".

Paul sighed. "Fine, I'll go".

Sonny kissed him before leaving. "Thanks".

* * *

Those two hours flew. Father Louis met Lucas, Sami and Sonny for the final arrangements of the mass and made sure everything was in its place at the chapel.

By the time they got out of Father Louis's office and went to the door of the church outside, almost everyone who had been invited had arrived. While Lucas said hi to Jennifer, JJ and Hope, Sami was greeted by Maggie, Marlena and Caroline.

"Oh Sami" said Maggie. "You look just great. I know it's difficult, but I want you to know we are all here for you".

"Thank you, Maggie" she replied. "But what actually worries me is whether I'll keep it together during the mass or not".

"You will" said Caroline firmly. "Because you are strong".

"That's right" agreed Marlena. "Today we'll get to remember Will as we must".

Sami nodded. "It's actually quite convenient it couldn't happen last year. I wasn't in town, and I wouldn't have forgiven myself if I hadn't come".

Meanwhile, Jennifer put her hand on Lucas's arm. "Are you alright?"

Lucas nodded. "It's been two years, and it's still as hard as it was that day".

"The first year couldn't be celebrated" she said. "It's normal".

"I remember the first year after we lost Zack" said Hope. "It eventually brings back all the memories, even the pain I felt when he died. But I also realized I was ok. I had been ok through all that year thanks to my family's support. Today you have all our support, Lucas".

"Thank you" he said.

Sami, after Maggie and Caroline entered the chapel, joined them, followed by Marlena.

"We should get in, the mass starts in a few minutes".

"We will" said Jennifer. "I gotta go say hi to Julie and Doug, they're already inside".

She, JJ, and Hope got in, just as Sonny approached them, followed by Paul, who had just arrived.

"Hey, Sami, this is Paul. He's the one I've told you about." he said, and turned to Paul. "Paul, this is Sami, Will's mother".

Sami glanced at Lucas and Marlena before shaking Paul's hand. "Paul, nice to meet you".

"Nice to meet you too" he said, a little nervous. "I, um, I'm really sorry about Will".

"Yeah, I bet you are" she replied coldly.

There was an awkward silence, until Lucas spoke. "The mass is about to start. Why don't you go in?"

"I will" Paul quickly said, doing so.

Sonny sighed once Paul was out of earshot. "Sami..."

"Neither I nor Lucas are in any position to judge" she interrupted. She caught a glimpse of someone in a large coat and the face covered entering the church.

"We are glad you decided to move on" she continued. "And we will support you as we know Will would want us to".

Lucas agreed with a nod.

Sonny nodded. "Ok".

Suddenly he saw some people coming, from two different ways. Some people he wasn't too fond of at the moment. Deciding to at least confront one of them, he cleared his throat. "Excuse me".

He walked towards a young man who walked to the church with his hands in the pockets of his jacket.

"What the hell are you doing here?"

Malcolm raised an eyebrow. "Eh, going to a church?"

"Why?"

"I believe you know the answer" he replied.

Seeing Sonny's glare, he rolled his eyes. "Look, Lucas invited me. If you wanna kick me out or whatever, talk to him. Now, if you excuse me..."

He pushed Sonny aside and walked towards Lucas and Sami, who had been greeted by the other people Sonny wasn't going to talk to. Well, not Abigail, who had said a quick hello and got inside to meet Jennifer.

"Hi, sweetface!" Sami was saying as she met Thomas DiMera, who was in Chad's arms. "My name's Samantha, but you can call me Sami".

Thomas just stared at her curiously. It was the cutest picture of a baby meeting someone new.

"She's your Uncle Will's mother" said Chad, chuckling at Thomas's big, wide eyes.

"Oooooh" she happily cooed, putting her hands on both Thomas's cheeks. "He's so cute and beautiful".

"Oh trust me, he knows" Chad joked. "Aren't you, Thomas?".

Thomas looked at Sami, then at Chad, with the same cute lost expression.

Sami just looked at him with a big smile. "Oh, so sweet. Congratulations, Chad".

"Thanks, Sami".

"Hey" said Malcolm, approaching.

"Hey!" greeted Lucas. "You came".

"I did" he replied. "Hello everyone".

Sami, Marlena and Chad greeted him, but a proper conversation couldn't be started. As they said hello, a happy cheer was heard, and Lucas found himself tackled by a blond girl.

"Daddy!"

"My sweet Allie!" said Lucas. "My God, look at you, you're so big!"

Her siblings also came, and hugged Lucas too.

Then, it was Marlena's turn. "Oh, my sweethearts. I missed you so much".

"Hey, no love for me?" asked Chad.

"Uncle Chad!" said Johnny, and the three children ran from Lucas to him.

"Hey, easy with the baby!" Sami exclaimed.

"I'll take care of it" said Malcolm, taking Thomas from Chad's arms just seconds before he was tackled by them.

As the kids hugged Chad, Malcolm approached Sami. "How are you?"

"So far, I'm pretty good" she replied. "I'm gonna cry so hard inside, though".

"I can't even start to imagine what it must have been like" he said.

"It's been a long process, but we are starting to heal" said Lucas. "But the fact that our son was taken from us will never go away, and we are learning to live with it".

Malcolm nodded, and Chad touched his shoulder. "Hey, I'm done with my nephew and nieces's love, can I have my baby back?"

As Malcolm gave him Thomas back, Sami checked her watch. "Oh, we got two minutes. Kids, inside, now".

She, Marlena and the kids rushed inside.

Malcolm looked at Lucas. "Well, I guess I should go in too".

"Yeah" agreed Lucas. "But seriously, thanks for coming".

"It was no problem" he replied, and got in.

Lucas turned to Chad. "So, I heard some interesting news".

"What's that?" he asked.

"Some Titan shiploads were sabotaged not so long ago".

Chad shrugged. "So?"

Lucas raised an eyebrow. "Deimos Kiriakis is blaming DiMera. Again".

Chad frowned. "I didn't order anything. Now, if someone in my family did, I'll certainly make them regret that".

"I hope so" said Lucas. "You know Deimos is a dangerous guy. If he decides to retaliate, who knows what will happen".

Little they knew that, as they entered the church, someone watched them not so far away from them.

* * *

Deimos and Victor shared a glass of scotch that day at the Kiriakis Mansion.

"I did like Will" Victor was saying. "But the moment he hurt Sonny, everything changed. I even threatened to take him out if he did it again".

Deimos snorted. "And they say  _I_ overreact".

"I don't know" Victor continued. "I guess I didn't mean it. I did felt bad when he passed. Or maybe I felt bad for Sonny. He was far from devastated".

"You got soft, brother" replied Deimos. "Everyone does when they reach a certain age".

Victor rolled her eyes. "And you're still cold as always".

Deimos shrugged. "I don't see why I should talk about someone I never met".

Before Victor could reply, Deimos's phone rang. He picked up.

"Deimos".

_"This is Rourke, sir"._

Deimos glanced at his brother for a minute before turning his attention back to the phone. "So?"

_"They just got in the church, sir. DiMera was there"._

"Good" he said. "Make sure the number of witnesses is as minimum as possible".

_"Yes, sir"._

* * *

"You can sit now" said Father Louis, once the mass had already started. Sami, Lucas, Sonny and Gabi, who had Ari on her lap, were sitting at the front row.

Malcolm and the DiMeras were sitting at the last one. EJ, already disguised, was with them.

Father Louis continued. "Now, some people will talk a little about William".

Sami was the first one. She walked to the altar, and looked at everyone. She took a deep breath.

"Will was my first son. He was the sweetest, kindest, and toughest boy I ever met. A true blessing in our family. Kind-hearted as he was, his life wasn't as good. In part I take the blame. I'm not gonna throw a pity party and repeat all the times I screwed up with him and feel sorry for my mistakes. Today, I want to extol his virtues more than his defects. Now, I believe the list of all them is endless, so I'm just gonna go with one: loyalty. He always put the needs of others first and I was so proud of that. So loyal to his family, to his friends. I'm aware that a lot of times it wasn't mutual, that life smacked him really hard, and brought him to his knees more than once. But what I always admired is that he would always stand up, and stay firm by anyone's side, with love and nobility. It's what I exalt from him, and it's what I consider a true example".

Then, it was Lucas's turn.

"I didn't find out Will was my son until he was two years old. But when I did, I instantly loved him even more than when I thought he was my nephew. I agree with Sami that we weren't the best parents, and it's something everyone here knows, but I'm sure we both will have that regret for the rest of our lives. But we tried, we tried to be there. Sure, sometimes it didn't work out as we expected, but in the end we were as happy as we could be. I wasn't too enthusiastic during a very important part of his life, but I learnt. I learnt and warmed up to the idea of my son reaching the goal of a family of his own in a different way than I thought. And it was ok. What I'll always regrets is all that time I wasted when I could love him more, support him more, because the pain of losing him at such a young age still eats us both inside; but I believe we are starting to heal. Today's a big step for us. The memory of Will will not bring me tears anymore, just smiles at all those happy moments I got to share with my son".

Finally, Sonny, having been Will's partner, spoke.

"I met Will at a pier not far away from here six years ago. We were really young. He had just graduated high school, and I had transferred to Salem U and was looking forward to start a business. And, that moment, something clicked in me. And the more I got to know him, the more I fell for him. I think I loved him before I actually knew what I was feeling. And I gave him space to figure himself out. Though in the end I rushed a little and almost ruined things. But we got there. It wasn't smooth sailing, some of you know what I'm talking about, but then again, we found our way back to each other. An then, we got a major blessing when Arianna came to our lives. We were really happy. And we iiwere even happier when we got married. I know it lasted a short time, and I won't talk about our problems, but what I definitely will say is that I was as part of the reason we had them as he was. I always complained about how he had hurt me, but I never realized how much I had hurt him, and for that I am sorry. I'm sorry I never got to tell him that. I honestly hope he knows how much I loved him, and that I would have never hated him, even if he believed that when he died. I'll miss him until my last day".

Sonny looked up, letting a whisper only he could hear. "I love you, Will".

When he returned to his seat, Father Louis stood in front of the assistants.

"Let's pray..."

* * *

"It was a beautiful mass" commented Gabi, having caught up with Malcolm outside the church.

"It wasn't so bad" said Malcolm. "But I liked it. It's actually the first time I go to a church to honor the memory of someone I never met. Though, I guess my support to his family was my way to do so".

"Malcolm, you're a special case" she chuckled.

Malcolm frowned. "I'm not sure how to take that".

"Mmm" Ari cooed in Gabi's arms as she put hers around her mother's neck.

"Someone's clingy today" he observed.

"She just misses her dad" she replied. "One day, though, I'll have to explain all the details to her".

"Hey" Sami said to Malcolm as he approached. "Mind if I talk to you for a moment?"

Gabi nodded. "It's alright, go on".

"Ok" she said, and waved to Ari. "Bye, bye, sweetheart, grandma loves you".

"So" said Malcolm, once they were gone, as they started walking to the park. "What's up?".

"I just wanted to say thank you for coming today" she replied. "It meant a lot".

"Like I said earlier, it was no problem" he said. "It was beautiful. I'm really sorry for what happened to your son".

"Thank you" said Sami. "I just hope, wherever he is, he knows we haven't forgotten him".

"I'm aware a person doesn't just die" Malcolm replied. "For as long as they are remembered, they will forever exist".

* * *

Chad said goodbye to EJ, who was still disguised, and saw him leave before anyone else saw him.

"Hey" Lucas greeted as he came to him. "Who was that?"

Chad turned around and stared at him.

"Um, one of my Father's men. He wanted to know how the ceremony was, you know, since Sami didn't want him there" he lied.

Lucas nodded. "I see".

"So, uh, I guess you won't want to talk about Will yet to avoid feeling worse" said Chad. "So maybe you could explain to me all that sabotaging Titan stuff".

"There hasn't been too much information" said Lucas. "All that's on the paper is how Deimos is blaming DiMera for what happened".

"Mm, must have been Andre" Chad decided after a while. "Wouldn't be the first time he gives orders behind my back. I'll deal with him when I get home".

Lucas was about to respond.

But suddenly, a man (Rourke) appeared, ran to him and apparently embraced him.

"Deimos says hi" he whispered.

Lucas groaned as he felt a sharp pain in his side. Chad was too surprised to react.

But luckily, Sami and Malcolm had just arrived.

"Oh my God!" she said.

Rourke quickly took off, and Malcolm took out his gun and went to chase him, as both Chad, who had snapped out of his shock, leaned down to attend Lucas, who had fallen down; and Sami called an ambulance.

"We're at the park. Quickly, my friend has been stabbed!"


	10. Chapter 10

The door of the ER burst open, and the paramedics ran inside, carrying the stretcher where Lucas was lying. Behind them, Chad and Sami rushed in, stopping when the paramedics took the stretcher to the OR.

"Oh my God" sighed Sami.

"He-He's gonna be alright, right?" asked Chad.

Sami nodded. "Yeah. He, um, he wasn't injured in the heart or stomach, I have the feeling he'll survive".

Chad exhaled and rubbed the back of his head, sitting in a chair at one of the corners of the room.

Sami joined him after making a few calls. "You know, even though I have only alerted Kate, Gabi and Sonny, news fly around Salem. The whole town must know by now".

Chad chuckled. "Quite ironic, huh? Lucas is attacked the same date his son was".

"Lucas is tough" said Sami. "He'll be ok. But, yeah, I get what you're saying. Life has a dark sense of humor".

She quickly sent a text, and a few seconds passed before she got a reply.

"EJ will watch the kids tonight".

Chad nodded, but didn't look at her.

"Are you alright?"

Chad shrugged. "I'm not sure".

"It was a surprise attack, Chad" she said. "There was nothing you could have done to prevent it".

"It's weird" he sighed. "It all happened literally in my face".

"It's ok" she assured. "Like I said, no one was expecting it. There was nothing you could have done".

Chad nodded again. "He may not be  _my_ father, but I actually care about him. And not only because he's my employee, you know?"

"I know" said Sami. "It sucks when you realize these things in a situation... Like this one, doesn't it?"

"Yeah".

They heard a noise, and the sound of steps. They turned around, to see Malcolm enter the room, followed by Gabi. They had met at the hospital lobby, but Malcolm was such in a rush he didn't say anything to her, and she had to run after him.

They both quickly got up, and Sami approached him. "Did you get him?".

Malcolm almost fell to the floor as he panted and shook his head. "Bastard zigzagged in the streets and alleys... Lost him at the docks... Definitely not his first time running away... I need water or I'm gonna die".

"Here" said Chad, having grabbed a plastic cup and filled it with water from the water dispenser, passing it to him.

Malcolm drank it in a single gulp, and, with still some pain in his face, nodded heavily as he passed it to Chad, silently pleading him to fill it again.

Luckily, Chad got the message and did so.

"I came as fast as I could" said Gabi. "What exactly happened?"

"Lucas and I were talking, and some dude just came and stabbed him" said Chad. "Fortunately, Sami and Malcolm were just passing by. We got him in an ambulance and now we're here".

Malcolm, having collected himself, dropped himself on a chair. "Did he lose too much blood?"

"I think so" replied Sami. She turned to Gabi. "Where's Ari?"

"With Abby" she said. "I had to tell her, she will watch Ari and Thomas, of course".

"Ah, right" said Chad as he took out his phone. "Forgot to call".

As he walked out, Kayla approached the group, already in her surgeon suit.

"Sami" she called.

"Aunt Kayla" Sami said. "How is he?"

"Still in surgery" she replied. "There's actually a problem".

"What is it?" asked Gabi.

Kayla sighed. "Lucas lost too much blood. When the knife penetrated the body, it also made a large cut, and the bleeding, logically, was big. We need to perform a transfusion".

Sami lifted her hands expectantly. "Then do it".

"We ran out of B positive blood" she said. "We need a donor".

"I'm sorry, what?" said Gabi.  _"Abby and I called off the plan. If she stole..."_

"Aren't hospitals supposed to have blood reserves or something like that?" asked Malcolm.

"We did" said Kayla. "But we used the last we had on another patient in surgery. We're gonna need someone to donate, so if any of you is B positive or know someone, please, say it now".

Not even a second passed before Gabi intervened. "Malcolm's B positive".

Everyone, including Chad, who had ended his call with Abby and was entering the room again, turned to stare at her.

"What?" she asked.

Malcolm had a big frown on his face. "How the hell do you know that?"

Gabi looked away.

_"I managed to find his medical record..."_

"Well..."

"Can you save that for later?" asked Kayla. "Malcolm, are you B positive? Do you think you can donate? We'll just analyze it to make sure everything's ok, the compatibility, if it's safe, that stuff; and then we'll proceed. It's gonna be quick".

Malcolm narrowed his eyes at Gabi, looked at Kayla, rolled his eyes and shrugged. "Yeah, why not?"

Kayla nodded. "Great. Follow me".

As soon as they were out, Gabi found herself under Chad and Sami's quizzical glances. She gave them a nervous smile and started to leave.

"I gotta check on Ari".

* * *

Deimos paced around the living room of the Kiriakis Mansion constantly checking his phone, while Victor had some scotch while sitting on the couch.

Finally, Deimos's phone rang, and he picked up at the first ring. "Yes".

_"It's done. Almost got caught, but it's done"._

Deimos exhaled, and looked at his brother's expectant face. "Good".

He hung up.

"Well?" demanded Victor.

Deimos smirked.

"Brother" he said. "We should pay a visit to the DiMera Mansion and see Stefano to... Give our sincere condolences".

* * *

Abigail finished a call with her mother while watching Ari and Thomas. The news of her uncle's attack had already been on TV and posted online.

Thomas was sleeping on his crib, and Ari was playing with a teddy bear and a doll.

_"Lucky innocent babies"_ Abbythought.  _"Not having to worry about everything that's going on must be a blessing"._

Her thoughts were interrupted by her phone ringing again. When she saw it was Gabi, she quickly picked up.

"Gabi, any news on Uncle Lucas?"

_"Still in surgery"_ replied Gabi on the other side.  _"He needs a transfusion"._

"Oh" she said. "Ok".

_"Abigail"_ Gabi said carefully.  _"Kayla said they had run out of B positive blood. Did you have anything to do with that?"_

"What? No!" she exclaimed. "No, I had nothing to do with that. We called off our plan, remember?"

_"I do, but if you stole that blood..."_

"I didn't steal that blood, I swear!" Abby promised. "I was the one who called it off, remember?"

Gabi stayed silent for a moment.  _"Are you sure? Is this just a coincidence?"_

"It is" she assured. "Look, there are cameras all over the hospital. There was no way I would have gotten away with it".

_"Ok, ok"_ said Gabi, calming down.  _"Anyway, Malcolm's donating. Talk about good timing"._

Abby nodded. "Just, keep me posted, ok? I'll try to go later".

_"I will"_.

After Abby hung up, she sighed, and passed her hand over her face.

"Did you steal the blood?"

Abby jumped and almost cursed before stopping herself when she saw Ari was still awake and could hear her. She turned around saw Stefano at the door.

* * *

After looking around the whole town, Paul decided to go to the only place he had left: the cemetery. Sonny wasn't home, he wasn't at the mansion, he wasn't anywhere.

Paul wasn't expecting to be right. He was actually hoping Sonny had locked himself in his apartment. But no. Not too far away from him, he saw his boyfriend on his knees, showing his back to him, and went to see him.

But when he approached and saw what Sonny had been contemplating, everything made sense.

_WILLIAM ROBERT HORTON_

_November 16th 1992 - October 9th 2015_

Of course. The date. What had just happened. It surprised Paul how it didn't occur to him this was where Sonny would go. But then he realized neither had said a word yet. That, until Sonny broke the silence.

"You don't know how uncomfortable it is to kneel wearing a suit".

Paul wasn't sure whether to chuckle or not react at all. Anyway, Sonny didn't let him decide, because he was already talking again.

"It's cruel these things have to happen when we less want them to".

Paul frowned. "Are you talking about Lucas? Sonny, it was just a coincidence".

Sonny ignored him. "It's like the universe is laughing at my face! If God isn't already".

Paul grabbed Sonny's shoulders. "Sonny, Will's demise and Lucas's attack are two completely separate events. Them happening the same date  _in a different year_  is just a coincidence".

Sonny finally looked at him. "Do you actually think it's a coincidence? That Lucas could die the same date Will died?"

"Are you implying there's some kind of... Conspiracy?" he asked.

Sonny looked at the grave again. "I don't know".

Paul sighed. "Look, Will wouldn't let this happen. Not now, nor ever. I mean, I'm not too much of a believer, but aren't the souls of those who rest supposed to protect the ones they love from up there?" He pointed to the sky.

Sonny gave him a sad smile. "Are you on drugs?"

Paul chuckled. "Thing is, Will won't let his dad die. He's gonna give him the strenght to fight for his life".

Sonny nodded, and glanced again at the grave. "Yeah. He will". He got up.

Paul rubbed his arms gently. "Let's go. Lucas should be out of surgery soon".

"Ok" said Sonny.

Paul leaned in for a kiss, but Sonny shook his head and turned his head.

Paul looked at him, confused. "Something wrong?"

"I-I can't" he whispered. "Not in front of him".

Paul glanced at the grave. Despite his unpleasant history with Will, he understood.

"Ok".

* * *

There was a lot of light. Lucas was wearing nothing but a white robe.

_"Where am I?"_

He couldn't feel the floor, but he was certainly standing on something solid. He had to. He looked around, and saw clouds surrounding him.

_"Am I dead?"_

He didn't feel dead. He hadn't seen his life flash in front of his eyes. He hadn't been in a long, dark tunnel and seen the light at the end. But of course all that crap was only a bunch of supersticions and things probably made up by people.

But he didn't feel dead. Then again, how could anyone know how it feels to be dead?

He got himself in such an internal debate that he almost missed a small cough.

_"St. Peter?"_

He turned around and felt something his throat. A tiny gasp escaped from his mouth as he saw someone he knew wasn't supposed to see yet.

"Gram?"

He wasn't thinking anymore. He was speaking.

An elderly woman had approached him with a big smile on her face. Alice Horton. As she approached, some other faces known to him appeared.

"Grandad? Uncle Mickey. Bo!"

Tom Horton, Mickey Horton and Bo Brady were standing alongside with Alice.

"Hello, Lucas" greeted Mickey. "Glad to see you again".

"It is, indeed" said Tom. "Of course, we don't have much time, but we figured you would like some support to go back".

"Go back? Am I dead?" Lucas asked horrified.

"Eh, not exactly, man" said Bo. "Feel priviledged. You've been given the right to choose. You can either join us, or go back with your family. Unlike us, you can go back, and I personally recommend you to go back".

"So I'm in some sort of limbo?"

Bo rolled his eyes. "That's another choice of words, yeah".

"We're here to help you decide" said Tom. "It won't take much time. Just answer yes or no".

"Yeah, of course I wanna go back!" Lucas exclaimed. "My daughter's there! She already lost her brother, she can't lose her father!"

Tom nodded. "So it shall be".

Lucas breathed for a few seconds before realizing something in what he had said. "Wait a minute. Where's Will? At least let me see him again, even if it's the only time I will. Is he here?"

His relatives shared glances. In other circumstances, the fact that they couldn't lie in Heaven would be funny, but that wasn't the case".

"Um, Lucas" said Bo. "Will's not here".

Lucas frowned. "What?"

"Sorry, Lucas" said Mickey.

Lucas tried to think. If Will wasn't with them, then...

"Oh no" he said, suddenly tearing up. "No, he can't be... There. He was a good boy, he can't be there!"

The only disgust made him unable to pronounce  _that_ word.

"Lucas, calm down" said Tom, serenely. "He's not in Hell".

"Then where?" he asked, almost pleading for an answer.

All of a sudden, Alice's eyes looked very sad. "My darling, we really wish we could, but we're not allowed to tell".

"What?"

"We can only promise you, we will help".

That left Lucas even more confused. "Help? Help with what? What..."

Words suddenly stopped coming out of his mouth, and Alice, Tom, Mickey and Bo vanished; and Lucas found himself being absorbed by some strange force, and everything went black, with a beep being the only thing he could vaguely hear.

* * *

After calling Abigail, Gabi took out the piece of paper Andre had given her days before, and dialed the number.

The call was picked up at the third ring.

_"Moore"._

"You bastard, we called off the deal!" she hissed.

_"What? Who the hell is this?"_

"This is Gabriela Hernandez, you stupid! I paid you anyway, I told you you wouldn't attack the guy, and you did it anyway!"

_"What the hell are you talking about!?"_

"The man I told you to attack  _was_ attacked today! I told you not to!"

_"Look, I don't know what's gotten into you, but it wasn't me, ok? I've been in Seattle since yesterday"_

Gabi stopped talking. "You are?"

_"Yes!"_ Moore insisted.

"Wait, but, if it wasn't you, the who did it?"

_"Do you think I know? Stop bothering me!"_

Moore hung up before Gabi could say anything else. Still wondering, she went back to the waiting room.

* * *

Stefano looked at Abby expectantly.

Abigail, however, was fast looking for an excuse not to say anything.

"Hey, Ari, do you wanna bake cookies for your grandpa?"

But Ari shook her head and clung to the bear. "Play".

_"Traitor"_ Abby thought.

Stefano glanced at Ari, and at Thomas who was waking up, and cleared his throat. "Why don't you go upstairs while I have a talk with your aunt?"

Ari didn't need to be told twice. Considering she didn't like the old man too much, she grabbed Thomas's hand and dragged him away, hoping her aunt would be ok. Abby looked at the kids run away as she looked slightly offended for the lack of backup.

Stefano waited until they were out of earshot, and turned to Abby. "Now that we're alone, what's that all about?"

"My uncle Lucas was attacked today" she said.

"I'm aware" said Stefano. "But what I meant was if you indeed stole that blood. I won't rat you out".

Abby looked at his sincere eyes and sighed. "I was telling the truth. I honestly did not steal anything. They ran out of blood because they used all of it".

Stefano nodded. "Then the truth it is. I believe you".

Abby was a little taken aback, but nodded. "Good".

"Now, do we have a name?" he asked, pouring himself some water.

"Huh?" She frowned.

Stefano turned around and looked at her. "Who did it".

"No, we don't".

Stefano nodded.

"I-I don't even know why Uncle Lucas was attacked. I mean, he has no enemies, doesn't he?"

"Indeed, Abigail" Stefano replied. "But his boss does".

Abby raised an eyebrow. "Are you saying that he was attacked to hurt Chad?"

Stefano chuckled. "I know, not the most conventional ways to attack the competition, is it? Whoever did it, got the wrong man. They wanted Chad".

Abby was way more confused. "What? But, but, the guy stood between them and attacked my uncle without a doubt! Chad told me!"

"How were they dressed?" he asked, rubbing his chin.

"Sorry?"

"Where their outfits similar?"

Abby tried to remember. Both men had worn dark suits, white shirts and black ties. "Yeah, they did".

"There it is" concluded Stefano. "Victor was smarter. Gave the name, a photo, everything his henchmen needed to know to take out the right man. Deimos must have been in a rush or..."

Stefano started laughing.

Abby just stared at him. "What? What's so funny?"

Stefano stopped and glanced at her. "Dear, there's a reason why no one orders a hit over the phone".

"How do you even know it was him?"

Stefano just shrugged. "I know my enemies. When you've been through this for a long time, there are things you just... Know".

* * *

Deimos poured to glasses of champagne, one for him and one for Victor. His smirk never left his face.

Victor, on the other hand, cold as he was, looked actually carefree. He was calmly reading something on his tablet.

Deimos handed him his glass and raised it.

"To the inevitable rise of Titan" said Victor.

"And to the death of Chad DiMera" added Deimos. "May he rest in peace and burn in hell like his peers soon will".

They both drank.

"You know brother" said Deimos after a beat. "I always dreamt of this moment, the final taste of victory. You never expect it to be this good and satisfying, though".

"Amen" Victor replied, still looking at his tablet.

"Ah, check the news, Victor" his brother said. "I want to hear the flattering words the media has for the guy".

"Already am" he replied, his tone changing. "And what's coming isn't a loving eulogy, but a bunch of insults and curses".

"Even better!" Deimos exclaimed.

"Not for Chad" said Victor, suddenly pissed. "You, stupid! You got the wrong guy!"

Deimos's grin instantly disappeared. "What?"

"Businessman Lucas Horton was attacked today after the mass in honor of his son William" Victor read. "The crime was commited in front of DiMera Enterprises CEO Chad DiMera at the local park. An investigation is already being made".

Deimos was speechless.

Victor glared at him. "What, now you can't even order a hit appropiately? What the hell, Deimos!"

Deimos was furious. "That son of a bitch".

He took out his phone and dialed his soon-to-be ex-henchman.

_"Rourke"._

"You stupid bastard!" Deimos yelled. "Look what you've done! You attacked the wrong man!"

_"I didn't!"_ Rourke said.  _"You described to me the man, and I looked for him"._

"He was right behind you! You stabbed his damn employee!" he snapped. "I swear, if he dies, I won't protect you!"

Deimos hung up and threw his cup, still with some champagne, to the fireplace. When he turned around, Victor was looking at him unamused.

"I'm starting to thing these 'anger issues' are part of our genes" he commented. "I don't need your temper tantrums when something goes wrong. I need you to fix this, or face some enraged DiMeras".

"This isn't over" said Deimos. "I swear, Victor, this is  _not_ over".

He stormed out, while Victor finished his champagne and continued reading, still unconcerned.

* * *

Sonny walked in the waiting room, followed by Paul, and found Chad, Sami and Gabi talking there. They stopped the minute they saw him, and Sonny entered the room cautiously, as the tension he had with Chad started building up.

"Hey, Sami, Gabi" he greeted. "Chad".

"Hey" said Sami. "How are you doing?"

"Been better" he replied. "Any news on Lucas?"

"He's still in surgery" said Gabi. "There was a complication, but they managed to solve it in time".

"Complication?" asked Sonny. "What was it?"

Sami rubbed her arm. "Lucas lost a lot of blood, and he needed a transfusion. But the hospital ran out of the blood he needed, so a donor was needed".

Paul chuckled. "I'm getting flashbacks".

Sonny rolled his eyes. "Don't remind me".

"Now that I think about it" said Chad. "Couldn't they just give him O type blood? You know, the 'universal donor'?"

Sami shrugged. "Who understands all that medical mumbo jumbo?"

"Anyway" said Sonny. "Did they find a donor?"

"He was actually here" said Gabi. "Malcolm donated".

Sami nodded. "Yeah, he was actually ratted out by  _someone_ ". She elbowed Gabi. "Who still has to explain to him how she knew his blood type".

Gabi rolled her eyes, but inside she felt kind of nervous. "Like it matters".

Sonny wasn't sure how to feel about it. Though he felt grateful for his action, he still didn't like Malcolm very much.

Instead of asking about it, he decided to change the subject. "How much time has passed?"

Sami checked her watch. "Couple of hours. Lucas should be out of surgery soon".

As in cue, Kayla entered the waiting room, followed by a desperate Kate.

"Get off my ass, Kate!" Kayla demanded.

"Come on, just let me know!" Kate was saying, before noticing the others.

"Kate, when did you get here?" asked Sami.

"As soon as you called me" she said. "Have you been here all the time?"

"Uh, yeah!" Sami said. "You could have come".

"Ugh, I was too worried about knowing what the hell was going with my son".

"Um, ladies?" said Chad. Everyone looked at him. "The results, please?"

Everyone turned to Kayla. She cleared her throat. "Despite our little problem with the blood, we managed to stabilize Lucas and treat his wound properly. We are sure he'll make a full recovery".

The room was filled with sighs of relief and tired chuckles.

"He's already been taken to a room" continued Kayla. "You can see him".

They all agreed to follow her, and that's what they did. They followed Kayla to Lucas's room, where he was waking up.

"Already waking up, Lucas?" said Sami as they entered the room.

"Huh?" he replied, still feeling dizzy and a little lost as the anesthesia wore off.

"He actually woke up in the recovery room" said Kayla. "I told him a few details, but he still needed to rest a bit".

"We were really worried" said Kate, walking to the side of the bed and taking his hand. "How are you feeling, sweetie?"

"Sore" he said. After a moment, he stared at everyone in the room. "So, I'm not dead?"

"No, you're not" said Sami.

"You're not fired either" added Chad. "Just so you know".

"Sweet" said Lucas.

"I'll bring Ari to see you tomorrow" said Gabi.

"Not necesary" said Abigail as she entered the room. She was carrying Thomas with a hand and Ari was holding the other, so Chad took Thomas to help his wife.

Ari ran to Lucas's bed, but couldn't climb it. Kate carried her so she could give her grandpa a kiss.

"Love you g'ampa" she said.

"Ow, I love you too, sweetheart" he said.

"How come you've woken up so fast, Lucas?" asked Sonny, impressed.

Lucas shrugged. "Kayla said the operation lasted longer than they expected, and the anesthesia was presumed to wear off not too much after it ended".

"Nice".

"We're glad you're gonna be ok, Lucas" said Sami. "You could have died".

"I know" he said. "I was told there had been some problems during my surgery, too".

"It's nothing to worry about" she said. "Someone donated their blood and everything went ok".

Again, as in cue, Malcolm slowly walked into the room, with a hand on his head and a muffin on the other.

"Ugh, never again, never again" he was saying.

"You ok, Malcolm?" asked Chad.

"All I had to give was a half liter of blood, but no, that bitch of a nurse said they 'needed more for their reserves' so she took another half liter" he ranted. "I was left with this killer headache that I've been forced to end with two pills, so I'm hoping it'll wear off soon, and she wouldn't even give me something to keep my energy, so I had to go to the cafeteria and grab something, but I nearly fainted in the elevator!"

He stopped for a bit, noticing Lucas on his bed. "Oh, hey Lucas, glad you're awake. Anyway, the point is, I was a perfect match".

"Way too perfect" said Kayla.

Malcolm turned to her. "Beg your pardon?"

"Your blood was quickly examined before performing the transfusion" she said. "I found a few odd things, so I decided to leave it to a specialist to analyze and compare them thoroughly while I was in the OR".

"You're still not telling me anything" said Malcolm.

Kayla sighed. "What I'm saying is that we found similarities, and the doctor I left the blood samples to decided to investigate a little more, since I still was busy".

Malcolm rolled his eyes. "How about we get to the point?"

Kayla made some space between everyone who had gathered in the room, and looked at both Malcolm and Lucas. "You two share genes. Not all of them, but my colleage got suspicious and analyzed it better. You two share the same Y chromosome, not to mention the blood matched almost perfectly".

Sonny suddenly started to understand.  _"No way"._

"Lucas, Malcolm, you two are father and son".

Lucas looked at Malcolm, everyone did, and for some reason, everything made sense. That strange connection, the resemblances, the weird feelings. He felt awful for thinking poorly of him when he first met him, but now everything was so surreal. He had a long lost son, and he had had no idea.

But he wasn't expecting his reaction.

Malcolm, still feeling like a drunk guy in Oktoberfest, with his fuzzy head and sunken eyes, couldn't find himself able to make a big deal about it, considering he had figured that out pretty soon after he had arrived. "Oh, that".

However, he couldn't hide that detail either.

"I know".


	11. Chapter 11

The news fled just as Malcolm, feeling dizzy due to donating a liter of blood, left Lucas's hospital room. Who spreaded the word, nobody knew. But whoever heard Kayla, made sure the word went out, and it was just a matter of time before the entire town knew.

Meanwhile, everyone who remaint there stood still and silent for a minute or two.

Kayla was the one who broke the uncomfortable silence. "He's just not in the right state of mind to, um, receive these news. I should have waited a bit".

"No" said Sami. "Um, sure, we're gonna need explanations and, well, this is a little too hard to process".

Kayla nodded. "I must go". She turned to a still stunned Lucas. "Let me know if you need anything else".

She left, and Chad excused himself too. Gabi and Abigail decided to leave to discuss what had happened, and that left Paul and Sonny with Kate and Sami accompanying Lucas.

"Ok" said Sami again. "Ok. Obviously we are shocked about these news..."

"No kidding" said Kate.

Sami glared at her. But she turned to Lucas when she felt him move.

Lucas tried to sit on his bed, managing to do so slightly. "How come I have a son?"

"Don't look at me" said Sami. " _I_ know how many I have".

"That explains the whole awkwardness whenever he was around" said Paul.

He looked away when he felt Sonny's glare. "Just trying to enlighten the mood".

Sonny frowned for a bit before letting out a tiny gasp that no one heard. He had to get out, for he had realized something. "We should go. There's something I need to do".

Not waiting for an answer, he grabbed Paul's hand and dragged him out.

* * *

"Sonny, what is it?" asked Paul, a little annoyed once they were out of the hospital.

Sonny turned around to face him. "He knew, Paul. He knew he was Lucas's son and never said a thing. And I'm gonna find out why".

"Sonny" Paul tried to stop him grabbing his arm, but Sonny struggled with him.

"Sonny, dammit, Sonny!" Paul finally stopped him and made him face him.

"What?" He snapped.

"What the hell has gotten into you?" Paul demanded. "What are you planning to do?"

Sonny didn't answer. He had no idea. A confrontation, maybe? He wasn't sure.

"Malcolm's hiding things from us" he finally said. "We must make him reveal the truth".

"Why do you even care?" asked Paul. "It's none of your business. It's none of anybody's business!"

"Oh, really?" Sonny said. "Like him being Lucas's long lost son?  _My_ long lost brother in-law?"

Paul frowned. "You don't even like him".

Sonny looked away.

"Sonny" Paul begged. "What is really going on?"

His partner sighed. "I don't know. Maybe I still care about Lucas since we're practically still family. Maybe it's the fact that he'll never get out of my face now..."

"Stop that" said Paul. "The Sonny I met was incapable of hating anybody".

Sonny finally looked at him, with an energy in eyes Paul found strong. "People change".

* * *

"I knew it. I just  _knew_ it!"

Abby was pacing in front of the bench where Gabi sat, at the park. The stroller where Ari and Thomas had been put in to take them to the hospital was next to her, and they were sleeping deeply.

She was so overwhelmed with emotions that she didn't know whether to feel sad, shocked, happy, excited, or whatever.

"You had your doubts" said Gabi. "But this proves my theory".

"Eh, no" said Abby, finally stopping pacing and looking at her friend. "Malcolm's my cousin, yes, but not Will".

Gabi rolled her eyes. "Ok, fine".

"But how come he never said anything? Abby wondered. "He said he knew. Was he actually capable to take such a secret to the grave?"

"Maybe he was trying to get to know everyone better" Gabi tried to reason. "He hasn't been in town that long".

Abby looked exasperated. "A lot of people entered in my family as soon as they got to Salem! What difference would that make?"

Gabi glared at her. "Oh, so you were expecting him to just come by Lucas's house and say 'hi, I'm your son, nice to meet you Pops'?"

Abigail groaned. "Ugh! Ok, maybe not like that, but they met, they talked to each other, and he never said anything!"

"To be fair, it was awkward being around him" said Gabi. "You saw the resemblance he has with Lucas and especially Will".

This made Abigail groan again. "We should have known, I feel so stupid right now".

"Oh, it's ok" Gabi smiled at her. "No one did".

Abby exhaled and put her hands on her hips. "So what now?"

Gabi shrugged. "No idea. Get to know his story, maybe?"

* * *

"So" said Kate, sitting on one of the chairs at Lucas's room with her arms crossed. "I have a grandson".

Lucas frowned at her. "Don't look at me like that. What's with the tone?"

Sami sat on the other chair and gave him half a smile. "Anything you'd like to tell us?"

Lucas narrowed his eyes. "Excuse me?"

"Oh, come on, sweetie" said Kate. "You have to admit this is great news".

"Can't deny it" he admitted. "But, I don't know how to feel".

"Be happy" said Sami. "Of course, he's a teen and it's going to be a little dificult to bond with him, but he's yours, after all".

"It seems surreal" he sighed. He closed his eyes, in an attempt to concentrate and remember conceiving him. "He was born in 1999, right? That means I had to have conceived him in 1998..."

Both Sami and Kate made similar disgusted faces. "Gross".

Lucas glared at them. "I was still drinking... Maybe that's why I don't remember".

"You were getting laid a lot" Sami acknowledged.

"Ugh" said Kate, flinching at the thought of her son in bed with different women. "Can't we just not...?"

"You're one to talk" Sami snorted.

Lucas groaned. "How come he never said anything?"

Sami raised an eyebrow. "To be fair, you weren't so nice to him".

"I apologized. I even invited him to the mass and even the Halloween party" he said. "He could have told me. I would have accepted him".

"Doesn't mean you don't have to, now" said Kate. "Maybe he wanted to build some trust first. But now that the truth's out, you both need to figure out what to do next".

"I know what I want to do" he replied. "I'm just worried he won't try to cooperate".

Sami held his hand. "Like I said, he's a teenager. Like it or not, you will find some resistance, but you two will bond eventually".

"Besides, you're not the only one who will want to connect with him" Kate added. "The whole Horton family, you know?"

"I just don't want him to feel pressured" said Lucas. "Who knows what he must be doing right now. With my luck, he's probably packing and getting ready to split".

* * *

Chad arrived at the building and approached and sat under the window of what he hoped was Malcolm's apartment. He knew he lived in the first floor, for he had seen it in the contract Stefano had.

He heard noises, muffled voices and lots of panting. Knowing that most young people worked out when feeling stressed, he slowly got up and peeked.

Just as he looked inside, almost immediatly, he sat again under the window, his eyes were widened in horror.

_"Wrong flat"._

He moved to the next window, and risked looking again. Through the curtain, he managed to detect some stuff of a living room, and saw something on a table.

" _This one must be"._

Sighing in relief when he noticed the window wasn't locked, he slowly and silently opened it, and moved the curtain. On the table rested a badge and a gun, and also a black tie.

_"Bingo"._

Silently, he put his hands on the ledge and lifted his body, entering the apartment and ending up on the floor. He stood up and accomodated his suit before exhaling. He approached the table. Malcolm's ID and his CIA credential were also there.

Chad looked around. The place was tidy and organized, he admired.

Then, he opened a door, revealing Malcolm's bedroom.

There was a nightstand with a few papers on it, his cellphone and his wallet; also a wardrobe, a shelf with lots of vynil records and a turntable; and the bed. On the walls, innumerable posters had been placed. Chad stared in awe at the many photographs of Cream, Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, and many, many others.

_"Man, what a taste"._

He grinned at a memory of knowing people who liked that music.

_"Must be a family thing"._

On the bed he saw a big shape, whose side moved slowly up and down. Chad approached and moved a little bit the covers, revealing the face of a sleeping Malcolm.

_"Right"._

Chad put his hand on Malcolm's shoulder and shook him carefully.

"Hey, wake up" he whispered. "Malcolm, wake up".

Malcolm moved slightly, but kept sleeping.

"Malcolm" Chad insisted, still keeping his voice low. "Hey, you ok?"

He shook him again, but this time he accidentally did it a little too hard. Malcolm startled awake. Next thing Chad knew, he was pinned against the wall and Malcolm, having gotten up with amazing speed, had a gun under his chin.

"Whoa, whoa, it's just me!" Chad exclaimed, rising his hands in surrender.

Malcolm calmed down, put the gun away and separated from Chad. Then, he smacked his arm.

"Ow!"

"The hell is wrong with you!?" Malcolm demanded. "How did you even get in?"

"The window" he admitted. "I just thought you would want someone to talk to".

"About?" he asked, rubbing his eye, and going to the living room. "What time is it?"

"Almost 7 pm" he replied. "Nice place, by the way. I loved your room".

"Yeah, yeah" Malcolm dismissed, pouring himself a glass of water. "Now, answer me. What did you think I'd want to talk about?"

"Well, for starters, about Lucas Horton being your long lost father" Chad began. "And also the fact that you knew all along and never said anything".

Malcolm shrugged. "Didn't want to just drop the bomb like that. I wanted to know him and be sure if it was the right thing".

"If you weren't planning to reveal it yet" Chad wondered. "How come you agreed to donate blood, knowing that the DNA would?"

"I wasn't going to let him bleed to death" he replied. "That, and a certain someone exposed me".

Chad nodded. "Ah, right. Gabi".

"Uh huh. She's got some explaining to do".

Malcolm sat down on the couch, and Chad joined him. They stayed in silence for a moment.

"How are you feeling?" asked Chad.

"Tired" said Malcolm. "But compared to this afternoon, much better".

"Good" he said. "What are you going to do about Lucas?"

Malcolm shrugged. "What's there to do? I just want to rest before getting out tomorrow and have to face the music".

* * *

"Sonny, why are you so obsessed with him?" asked Paul.

Sonny didn't answer. He turned around, avoiding eye contact with Paul.

"So, he's a Horton" he continued. "He's your ex-husband's half-brother, and they look surprisingly alike. I know you're not fond of him, and frankly I don't see a reason. I want to know what's going on".

"I don't know" Sonny finally said. "I don't know. I mean, I..."

"Don't push yourself" said Paul, calmer. "Isn't it ironic? It had to happen, today of all days". He chuckled. "Exactly two years from losing a son, Lucas got another one".

"It shouldn't have been this way" sighed Sonny. "Will would be over the moon of having another member in the family, maybe I'd get along with him".

"No one knows what would or wouldn't have happened" said Paul. "Why don't you try? He's a nice guy, and, since he's family now, you're gonna see him more often, so it's not like you have any other choice".

"Maybe" said Sonny. "But not right away. It's been a long day".

"Tell me about it" Paul snorted.

"Paul?" Sonny said. "Let's get out of here".

* * *

"Do you actually think they won't accept you?" Chad asked.

Malcolm frowned. "Of course not. I'm very loveable, and people usually gets along with me".

Chad rolled his eyes. "Yet you don't consider necessary the effort of trying to connect with your family. You know, being part of the Hortons, it's practically an honor".

"So I've heard" he replied.

"You know" said Chad. "You're not the only long lost child in this town. Lucas was one. I was one".

Malcolm snorted. "So it's a family thing. How did you deal with that?"

Chad shrugged. "When I found out Stefano was my father, I was also reluctant to connect with the DiMeras, but for entirely different reasons. I had been told that family was poison, that the Devil himself had taken over the mansion. I wasn't willing to be absorbed by that".

"And now you lead the company" chuckled Malcolm. "So, there  _is_ a moral to this after all. Life is a cruel, twisted irony".

"Maybe" Chad chuckled too. "I got to know Stefano in the end. He's my father after all. Unlike him, Lucas is a great guy. You should try at least to know him".

Malcolm nodded. "I was going to anyway. Like I said, can't hide in here forever".

"Good" he said, looking at him. Suddenly, he frowned. "How'd you get that?"

"What?"

"That" Chad pointed to a scar Malcolm had on his jaw, the same Gabi had noticed and told Abigail about, thinking it was the result of a face surgery. It wasn't.

Malcolm touched his jaw. "I've had this for quite a long time".

Chad raised his eyebrows. "How come I never noticed?"

"I often use a cream to hide it" he admitted. "It's kinda ugly. I got it in a battle".

"Battle?" Chad repeated, amused. "As in one with lots of gunshots, knives and dead people, that kind of battle?"

Malcolm rolled his eyes. "Yes, that kind of battle. I had a team, you know? We were sent to ambush and thwart a troop of narcoterrorists in Peru. Got a bad cut while fighting, lost someone, but we won".

"Wow" said Chad, amazed. "Quite a fighter, huh? How old you were then?"

"Fifteen" he replied. "I was actually under protection for being still a minor. Some incidents there caused the Director to prohibit my participation in violent missions until I was more... Prepared, I guess".

Chad nodded and smirked. "You, my friend, have the most interesting stories".

Malcolm chuckled. "Not bragging. It's hard sometimes, but manageable".

"You gonna tell Lucas about what you do for a living?"

"I'm not sure" he shrugged. "I mean, you and the Kiriakises are the only ones who know, and that's because I'm intervening in your business war".

"Eh, you should" said Chad. "He's gonna want to know anyway".

"Whatever" said Malcolm.

They stayed in silence again, but only for a brief period of time, before Chad spoke again.

"Sorry for breaking in".

Malcolm rolled his eyes. "No problem. But you might wanna be careful. Next time I could just shoot".

"Yeah about that" he said. "You sleep with a gun, I mean, who the hell does that?"

"Security" he replied. "If someone breaks in like  _you,_ we use them".

"You left another one on the table" Chad pointed out.

Malcolm frowned and turned around on the couch to see the table. Indeed, one of his guns was there. "Ah, dammit. Must have forgotten".

Chad laughed. "How many of those do you have?"

"I'm not telling you" said Malcolm. "It's way too dangerous. I should have kept that thing locked in my drawer".

He got up, went to grab the gun and threw it on his bed from outside of the room.

Chad got up too. "You know, we're not that different. We're both long lost kids from our fathers, we both are motherless, we have cool jobs. Isn't it amazing?".

"I'll second the part of the cool jobs" said Malcolm. "'Cause the part of being a long lost kid and motherless kinda sucks".

"True" he said, and checked his watch. "I should go. But, you think about what I said, ok? It wouldn't be fair to both Lucas and you not to give it a shot".

"Will do" said Malcolm, opening the door for him.

Chad nodded and got out. "See ya".

* * *

"Hey" said Gabi, entering Lucas's room again. "Sorry we left earlier, we figured you'd need some time alone".

"No worries" said Lucas. "Where's Ari?"

"Oh, Abby's looking after her" she replied. "She was pretty tired after today, and I just wanted to come by and say I'm glad you're gonna be fine".

"Thank you, Gabi" he replied.

Gabi nodded, and stared nervously at Sami and Kate's glances. "Yeah, um, well, I should go and put Ari to sleep..."

"Not so fast" said Sami. "You got something to say, girl".

Gabi decided to play dumb. "Really?"

"Oh, come on" said Kate. "Sami told me you knew that Malcolm had the same bloodtype as Lucas. Not that it's a bad thing, there's a new addition to the family, but how in the world did you know?"

"That's for Malcolm to know and that's final" said Gabi, trying to sound firm, but failing. She didn't even know why she bothered, those two had always been difficult.

"Gabi" said Sami, lifting her eyebrow. "You've met us, right? You know that a nosy woman never leaves without the info she wants".

"Ugh, fine" she groaned.

"Great" said Kate, grinning in satisfaction. "Now talk".

How easy it would have been for Gabi to make up something. Then again, it was  _Sami and Kate_. She had to tell the truth. Bitches.

She sighed. "We all know how Malcolm looked so much like Will. I guess that has an explanation now. But a few days ago, Abby and I came up with a theory".

"And that was?" asked Sami, crossing her arms.

Gabi gulped. "We thought Will had somehow evaded death and had had face surgery , turning, hopefully against his will, in Malcolm Cooper. I used a scar he has in his jaw as basis".

Lucas instantly thought about his dream during his surgery early that day. They had told him Will wasn't with them.

_"But that's not possible"_ he thought.  _"Malcolm's way younger. Their personalities don't even match"._

Kate scoffed. "That's crazy and absurd. He's way more extrovert and carefree than my grandson was. And compared to him, he's practically a baby! Tell her, Sami".

She turned to look at Sami, who had remaint silent.

"Sami?"

Sami waited a moment, figuring out what to say. "Gabi, this is not funny".

"Not trying to be" she replied. "I'm sorry, I didn't want to get your hopes up, that's why we kept it to ourselves".

"You still haven't told us how you knew" said Lucas.

"I stole a copy of Malcolm's medical record" she admitted. "That's how I knew".

Lucas glanced at Sami.

Sami sighed. "As much as I'd like him to... Be Will, he's not". Her voice broke a little. "I would know".

Gabi nodded. "He and Ari had a connection, though".

"They did?" said Kate. "I'm glad to hear that. Ari has gained another uncle to spoil her with attention, candy and toys".

That broke the tension. Sami laughed, Lucas smiled (if he laughed, that would hurt more that being stabbed) and Gabi gasped.

"Oh my God, no more sugar into my girl's system".

* * *

Sonny entered the living room of the mansion, looking tired. Victor was on the couch, with a cup of coffee on his hands.

"Rough day?" he said.

"Lucas was attacked this afternoon" Sonny said. "He's fine, by the way".

"I heard" said Victor. "It's amazing how quick are the news nowadays. Back in the day, you had to wait until the next day to know what had happened. For example, another thing that I've heard today is about a new addition to the Horton family".

Sonny sighed. "Malcolm Cooper turned out to be Lucas's son. That makes him..."

"Your ex-brother-in-law" Victor guessed.

"I don't know why it bothers me so much!" he complained.

Victor shrugged. "Well, if you're not fond of him it shouldn't be a surprise. Of course, he could unexplicably grow on you".

"I highly doubt that".

"Why's that?"

Sonny rolled his eyes. "He gets on my nerves".

Victor smirked, and slowly got up, leaning on his cane. "Tell you what. I bet you thirty dollars he grows on you. No one can hold a grudge for too long, you'll eventually warm up to him. And when that happens, you'll remember this moment, and pay me".

He offered his hand. Sonny narrowed his eyes, looking at his uncle's hand. Finally, he rolled his eyes and shook it.

"Eh, what the hell, deal".

Victor sat again on the couch. "We can all agree that family is what most matters. He's now family. I look forward to demonstrate you're wrong".

"Anyway" said Sonny. "Thanks for 'enlightening' my evening. I'll go rest".

"Always a pleasure" he replied, as his nephew left upstairs.

He sighed and got up again, walked to the table and poured himself a glass of scotch.

"He's your family now, Sonny, but he's certainly not mine" he murmured. "And I won't let that silly agent interfere with our legacy. If he plans to investigate, he's in for big surprises".

* * *

Malcom walked around his living room, as a, in his opinion, beautiful acustic song was played on the radio.

_Took my chances on a big jet plane, never let 'em tell you that they all are the same..._

He thought about his talk with Chad. Sure, he could have killed him for breaking in, but he actually was glad Chad did.

Malcolm truly appreaciated what Chad told him. Yes, they weren't too different, despite the age difference, and they had many things in common. He now considered him a good friend.

And now, he had found his father. Well, he had actually found him that day when he examined his own photo as a baby, but everyone knew by now.

He would never admit it, but a part of him feared Lucas wouldn't be what he expected. Or that he wouldn't be what Lucas would expect now that he knew.

But he owed to himself finding that out. After all, he had been alone. He feared his new-found family would let him down like...

It had been a long day, and he decided to give it a rest and leave it for the next day.

_Standing on a hill in my mountain of dreams, telling myself is not as hard, hard, hard as it seems..._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song featured is Going To California by Led Zeppelin


	12. Chapter 12

Lucas was released the next day, having had no further complications during his recovery. Kayla let him go only with the typical conditions, of course: not to push himself, no more stress, rest a lot, etcetera.

Yet that was kind of difficult, considering the circumstances. He didn't know Malcolm's number or address, and he couldn't find him anywhere. Not that Malcolm was hiding, Lucas actually was thinking that inside of himself, he was afraid to talk about it with him.

So, he decided to wait. It was a small town, and the most common thing to happen between people was to run into each other, it literally happened all the time.

With these thoughts in mind, he slowly entered the Brady Pub, hoping to have some coffee (that was all he could have since he was a sober) to take some courage for when he found him.

Inside, none other than Caroline Brady was at one of the tables. Not being able to do much work at her dear pub as she used to, she spent her time hanging out there, reading the paper, knitting when she felt like it, whatever she could to keep herself busy. She immediatly noticed him, and went to greet him.

"Lucas, hi"

"Hey, Ms Brady, how're you doing?" he said as he hugged her, not too tight because of his stitches.

"I'm good, I'm good" she said with that smile that characterized her. However, that smile faded away when she noticed Lucas's slightly upset face. "But you don't look so well. You know what, I'll make us both a cup of tea and we'll sit and talk about it. Yes, I must do it".

"Oh, no, Ms Brady, I'm fine, thank you" Lucas tried to decline.

Caroline waved her hand dismissively. "Oh, please. I recognize a long face when I see it. Find a table, dear, and we'll talk".

Lucas sighed, but obliged.

* * *

Malcolm wasn't hiding at all. He was actually on his living room, concentrated on his laptop.

After some words with the police, he had gotten footage of a security camera of the park, gotten the face of the hitman that had attacked Lucas and was now investigating who he worked for.

That, until someone knocked on the door.

"I'm busy, go away" he said, not taking his eyes off the screen.

"It's me" said Chad's voice.

"Oh" said Malcolm, stopping for like a second. Then, he resumed his work. "I'm busy, go away".

"Oh, come on!" Chad whined.

Malcolm rolled his eyes and got up. He opened the door and stared at Chad. "Yes?"

"Hey" he said, letting himself in. "Have you thought about what we talked?"

"I'm working" he replied.

Chad glanced at the laptop, and couldn't help getting curious. He recognized the people who featured in the now paused video. "Is that me?"

"That's you" Malcolm confirmed. "I got security footage and I'm using it to identify with the computer the guy who stabbed my father".

Chad turned to him, his face amused.

"What?" Malcolm demanded.

"It's just... It's not even 24 hours since what happened, and you're already referring to Lucas as your dad".

Malcolm just shrugged. "Can't deny this fact, now can I?"

Chad shook his head with a chuckle. "Of course not".

Malcolm nodded and got back to work. "So, what brings you by?"

"I already told you, I wanted to know if you had thought about last night".

"Told you I'd do it".

"Yet you're working as if nothing had happened. Your work in Salem doesn't even relate to Lucas's attack".

Malcolm turned to him. "One has to think of everything. This was ordered by someone, and, whether I like it or not, I guess it's personal now. Besides, if this was orchestrated by who I think did it, it  _will_ be related to my work here".

It took Chad a few seconds to interpret what Malcolm was saying. "You think this has to do with the war?"

Malcolm raised an eyebrow as the goon's profile appeared on the screen. "We're about to find that out, aren't we?"

* * *

"It just seemed so surreal" Sami was saying, as a patient EJ listened to her. "Lucas has a son, EJ. A son. And he never knew about him".

"You can't deny it happens a lot here in Salem, sweetheart" he replied. "Wasn't Lucas a long lost kid himself?" He chuckled. "Like father like son".

Sami ignored the comment. "It's wonderful news, actually. Now I just wonder what happened to the mommy. Who she was, at least. Must have been really attractive back in the day, Lucas was a drunk guy, but certainly not blind".

EJ laughed. "Didn't you tell me that he told you that she died?"

"It's a shame" she pouted. "That's life, I guess".

EJ nodded. "So, this Malcolm boy... Will we meet him anytime soon?"

"Maybe" said Sami. "He lives a few doors away, actually. But I don't think right now's the time".

"Then we wait" said EJ. "Not to mention, Salem still doesn't know I'm alive".

Sami made a face. "Oh, right, we have to sort that out too".

"Father's not gonna be happy" he said. "That I came back and he didn't know, not that I'm alive".

"Huh" she said. "I wonder what's like to be one step ahead of Stefano".

EJ kissed her. "We already are".

Sami giggled.

After a moment, EJ spoke again. "I'll probably meet Malcolm soon. He doesn't know who I am, there's no risk".

"Why the interest?" Sami asked curiously.

EJ shrugged. "For what you've told me, he has quite an interesting personality. And I think there's more about his life than he tells".

"Uh oh" she mocked. "Sounds like trouble".

"Not necessarily" he said. "But, yes, there's got to be some".

* * *

"Uh huh" said Malcolm, after a minute or two.

"So?" Chad asked, impatient.

Malcolm turned around to face him from his seat, a bitter grin formed in his face. "That dude certainly works for Deimos Kiriakis".

Chad narrowed his eyes. "And the sky is blue. Who else would want to attack us?"

"Really?" Malcolm asked, raising an eyebrow. "You're gonna give me that?"

"Sorry" he said. "I should have known, though. If you think about it, it's obvious".

"But why Lucas?" wondered the boy, staring at the screen. "He's no member of your family, at least, your blood family. He doesn't have a  _huge_ sentimental meaning to you".

"True" Chad agreed.

"Then why would Deimos retaliate against him?" Malcolm continued. "Unless..."

Malcolm looked at Chad. He frowned. "What?"

"What if I told you" said Malcolm, narrowing his eyes. "That Deimos's hitman got the wrong guy by mistake?"

Chad stood there, looking at Malcolm as if he had grown an extra head. "The hell are you talking about? You mean, he ordered a hit on me?"

"Hey, I'm just looking over the possibilities" he replied, getting up. "And you gotta admit this one's big. Very big".

Chad thought about it. He was Deimos's enemy after all. And Lucas had no part in the war between the families.

"Ok, but why would he?" he finally asked. "To provoke us?"

"I don't know, have you done anything to piss off Deimos?"

"Of course not!" he said.

Malcolm raised an eyebrow. "Well either he did it for fun, or you, my friend, are lying. That, unless something was done behind your back. I suggest you take a look into it now, because, since Deimos couldn't harm you, my guess would be that he'll try again".

Chad was speechless. He didn't think his family would... "Oh".

"In the meantime" Malcolm continued. "I'll run some errands".

He and Chad both got out.

* * *

"Ok" said Caroline, placing two cups of tea on the table and joining Lucas. "Now, tell me what's going on".

Lucas looked at his cup and then at her. "It's nothing. You wouldn't believe me if I told you".

Caroline just chuckled. "Oh, please. I've heard, seen and even been part of so many crazy things, not only in this pub, but practically all around Salem. I'm sure what you tell me will be no different".

Lucas nodded. "Ok, then".

He accommodated himself in his chair. "I had a dream. During my surgery. I don't even know if it was real or a dream, actually. But, I was in this strange place, covered with light and clouds. And I saw people".

"What people?" she asked.

"My grandparents, Tom and Alice Horton, my uncle Mickey... And Bo".

"Oh".

Caroline's smile was gone the minute Lucas mentioned Bo. It was a wound in her sould that would never disappear. But she was a strong woman, and composed herself after a moment.

"They told me I was in a limbo" said Lucas. "And that I had to choose whether to die, or live".

"I can see what your choice was" she commented. "That's what's upsetting you?"

Lucas shook his head. "No. I figured they had come from Heaven or wherever they went after... Passing. So... I asked them for Will".

Caroline was paying him attention. She was getting curious, very curious. And when Lucas mentioned Will, her heart melted. To see a child who had gone... "Did you see him?"

Lucas shook his head again, this time furiously. "I didn't. And that's what makes me upset!"

His voice was breaking.

"Maybe he wouldn't see you so it wouldn't affect your desicion" Caroline suggested. "I know you miss him dearly, but you have another daughter here, Lucas. She already lost her brother, she can't lose her father. Who will she have besides her mother?"

"Her new-found brother" he chuckled bitterly.

Caroline nodded. "I heard about it. But we can talk about that later. Finish telling me what you saw".

Lucas sighed. "Bo told me Will wasn't with them. My grandad told me Will wasn't in Hell. Gran said they couldn't tell me what had happened to him".

Caroline nodded in understanting. But she was frowning in slight confusion. After all, she had dreamt something as crazy as that not too long ago. But there was no way those dreams could be related, right? "That's not ok. Something must have happened".

"Like I said" added Lucas. "I don't know if it was real. Maybe it's all happening in my head and I'm talking nonsense".

Caroline slammed her fist on the table. It was funny instead of scary, but that didn't mean Lucas didn't flinch.

"Of course it is happening in your head!" she exclaimed. "But why on Earth should that mean it is not real?"*

* * *

"Well" said Sami. "Guess we should tell the kids anyway".

"Do we have to?" asked EJ.

"Yes, we have to" she replied. "He's Allie's biological brother. But our children are so close, Johnny and Sydney might consider him their brother too".

"The difference is, Darling" he said. "That they all share you as a mother. This kid, he's not your son. It might be difficult".

"Who knows" grinned Sami. "Our kids are great. They might actually surprise you. Oh, and we need to arrange a meeting with him for you and them too".

EJ nodded. "Ok, then".

Sami got up from the table, and EJ followed her. "Kids! Come here, we need to talk to you!"

One by one, Johnny, Allie and Sydney came out of their rooms.

"It wasn't me, whatever Allie told you, I didn't do it!" Johnny swore.

"You're not in trouble" said EJ. "But if I find anything out of place in this house, then you will be".

"Kids, we called you because there's something you need to know regarding some recent events" said Sami.

"Is Daddy ok?" asked Allie.

"He is" she replied.

Sydney gasped. "Are you having another baby?"

"What? No!" Sami quickly said. "Kids, something has happened. Depending on how you look at it, it's actually something good. It might affect Allie the most, but you're such an united front, I believe you'll be able to deal with it together".

"What is it?" asked Johnny, not liking her tone.

"Well, um..." Sami glanced at EJ for help. She couldn't find an appropiate way to break the news to them.

Fortunately, EJ took over. "Yesterday, we found out that Lucas has another son". He turned to Allie. "He's your big brother".

The children went silent. Allie nervously started playing with her hands.

But then, after a few seconds. Johnny was the first one to speak. "A new big brother?"

"Yes" EJ answered.

"Only for Allie?" he asked again.

"W-What?" Sami asked.

"How come she gets a new big brother and we don't?" Johnny angrily demanded. "We shared a big brother before, why does she get one and we don't?!"

"What? Uh, sweetie" Sami tried. "Will was your big brother because he was  _my_ son too. Lucas's son isn't mine".

"But can be your big brother too if you want him to be!" EJ quickly added, noting that Johnny wasn't going to listen to Sami.  _"They're taking it better than I thought"._

Johnny seemed to think about it, though. Then, he turned to Allie. "Will you share?"

Allie, still with her eyes wide open, nodded eagerly. "Yeah, why not?"

Johnny turned to his parents. "Ok, we'll meet him".

Sami sighed in relief, while EJ smiled at them. "Ok, kids, go back to play".

They obliged.

Sami dropped herself on the chair, smiling widely. "Told you".

"Yes" he said as he joined her. "Now, what do we do?"

"I'll call him tonight" she replied. "He lives a few doors away. It'll be more intimate and safe, if he agrees".

EJ kissed her. "Ok".

* * *

Lucas went home, passing by the square. His talk with Caroline had been quite comforting in some way. It was nice having someone who listened.

It didn't mean it didn't bug him anymore, because it certainly did. He couldn't help but wonder what Will's final fate had been in the end.

But all those thoughts went away the minute he noticed someone walked by the stores, with a determined look on his face. Lucas didn't lose a second.

"Malcolm, hey, Malcolm!"

Malcolm turned to see who had called him, and silently cursed.  _"I''m so not prepared to this"._

Lucas quickly approached him, fearing Malcolm would run away. However, he was thankful Malcolm hadn't left town after the revelation. "Hey".

Malcolm looked at him sheepishly. "Hey".

"Um, how, how have you been?"

Malcolm shrugged. "Ok, I guess. I'm actually heading somewhere right now, so if you excuse me..."

He motioned to leave, but Lucas grabbed his arm, stopping him. Malcolm groaned in annoyance. "Oh come on".

"Malcolm, please" he said. "I don't know how you knew, but I didn't. I just wanna talk to you".

"There's nothing to talk about" he replied. "Ok, so, you're my father. Big deal".

He motioned to leave again, but Lucas stopped him again. Malcolm groaned in annoyance.

"It  _is_ a big deal!" Lucas insisted. "You, you are my son! A son I never knew about! I want to know you, and whether you like it or not, things aren't gonna be the same!"

"I don't want things to be the same" said Malcolm. "Look, I'll be honest. I  _do_ want to talk with you too. But right now's not a good time. I'm working".

Lucas was taken aback, and frowned. "Working?"

Malcolm sighed. "Look, I'm free tomorrow. Meet me at the pub, and we can do all that 'I tell you about me and you tell me about you' thing, ok? Lunch will do".

He broke free of Lucas's grip in his arm and walked away.

Lucas sighed. Maybe he would have liked to have this talk right now, but lunch definitely sounded good. It actually sounded more... Familiar.

He looked down, but a smile formed in his face.

* * *

Chad walked into the living room of the DiMera mansion, ready for a showdown.

Stefano was on the couch reading a book, and Andre was working on his laptop at the desk. Both men looked at the door when Chad walked in.

"Ah, son" greeted Stefano. "How has your day been so far?"

"So far so good" he replied. "You know, actually, I've had a very interesting morning".

"Tell me about it" asked Stefano.

Chad just grinned, and turned to his brother. "Andre, aren't you interested in knowing about my day?".

"Not in the slightiest" he replied, not turning away from his laptop. "And you know, even if I was, you would tell me nothing and shoo me away from the room".

Chad put a hand on his chest. "It hurts that you think that way about me".

"Oh, for the love of God" Andre complained, taking off his glasses, putting the laptop away and turning to him.

Chad grinned in satisfaction. "So, my dear peers. Has any of you done something behind my back that might have made Deimos attack us?"

"What are you talking about?" asked Stefano. "Lucas Horton was the attacked one".

"No, Father, I think Chad means Deimos attacked us all as a company" Andre intervened.

"No" said Chad, as he pointed at Andre. "And no". He pointed at Stefano. His grin didn't leave his face. "You see, when I say us, I mean Lucas and I".

"And what do  _you_ have to do with anything?" he demanded.

Chad narrowed his eyes, his grin completely gone. "That attack was meant to be against me".

All of a sudden, Stefano's face was showing concern and anger, and Andre began rubbing his chin.

"So" Chad continued. "Who was it. Who of you pissed off Deimos and almost costed an innocent life? I won't get mad, promise".

Andre chuckled, and glanced at his brother. "I may have been behind some recent sabotages against Titan".

_"Of freaking course"_ Chad thought. He nodded and even let out a tiny chuckle himself before he approached Andre and snapped. "WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING!?"

"So much for not getting mad" he said, rolling his eyes.

"I work my ass off to put this business on good track by trying to play fair and not provoking that psychopath, and you go and do the exact opposite!" he raged. "And now Deimos is after me and my family and it's all your fault! You know the guy is a whackjob!"

Andre stayed seated, clearly not affected by what Chad had said. Neither caring.

Chad stood there, glaring at him.

That, until Stefano huffed. Chad turned to him. His father stared chuckling, softly and the beginning, but it soon became big laughter.

Chad just stood there, perplexed.

Andre sat still in the desk, frowning at his father, while Chad just stared.

Stefano composed himself after a while, and that means a long while, and patted his leg. "Oh my... Son, you have made my night".

Chad opened and closed his mouth several times, still puzzled. "W-What?"

"I wasn't wrong, son" chuckled Stefano. "You are  _adorable_ ".

Now Chad was even more confused. "What!?"

Stefano stood up and went to pat Chad's cheek. Then, he poured himself some water. "We are in a war. Only you want to play fair in a war. When you are in this kind of conflict you can't just do things by the book and expect your oponent to do the same. Stay on alert, Chad, or Deimos will catch you off-guard and  _eat you alive_ ".

"But, but" Chad started. He pointed at Andre. "Haven't you heard him!?"

"I did" he replied. He waved his hand dismissively. "He did good, actually. There are no peace offerings here, Chad. You must fight fire with fire. In the end, one lives and one dies".

Chad scoffed. "Unbelievable".

Stefano, having the feeling he wasn't giving this advice for the first time, walked forward and cupped Chad's face. "Don't get mad, Chad. Get even".

Chad thought for a moment. The sabotage against the Kiriakises hadn't been his fault, because he hadn't known. But Lucas's attack, that had meant to be against him, had been a direct order from Deimos. Under that logic, the DiMeras had to retaliate.

He looked at his father in the eyes, with determination, and nodded. "Works for me".

Stefano was certain he had gotten the same answer. He smiled in satisfaction, and patted Chad's cheek again. "Good boy".

* * *

Deimos sat on the couch, staring at the newspaper of that day. The headline didn't give any hints he was behind what had happened, but he knew the next day it would, if DiMera accused him.

_BUSINESSMAN LUCAS HORTON VICIOUSLY ATTACKED_

_After a ceremony in memory of his late son, Horton was stabbed in the park last afternoon. DiMera Enterprises CEO Chad DiMera was with him at the time of the events. An investigation is already in process._

He tossed the paper on the little table in the middle and huffed.  _"Stupid Rourke"._

Someone at the door cleared his throat. Deimos looked up to see the butler Henderson at the door of the living room.

"Mr Kiriakis, someone has come to see you" he announced solemnly.

He stepped aside to let Malcolm in. Deimos raised an eyebrow, while Henderson got out and closed the doors.

Malcolm walked in and let out a whistle. "Such a nice guy, that butler of yours".

Deimos just sat there, but gave him a mischevious grin. "Well, if it isn't agent Malcolm Horton. I'm glad you didn't break in this time".

"Figured my manners could be normal for one day" he replied. "And it's still Cooper for you".

Deimos nodded sardonically. "Alright. And what do I owe the pleasure of your visit?"

Malcolm scoffed. "Like you don't know".

Deimos shrugged shamelessly. "I don't".

"You do know" he said, approaching. "That I have the power to arrest you, don't you?"

"For what?"

"I know that you ordered the attack, Deimos" he said. "And that it was meant to hurt, if not kill, Chad DiMera".

"You can't prove anything" he replied.

Malcolm stood in front of his chair, and leaned down, narrowing his eyes and facing him. "I'm not like those incompetents of the police department who take months and months to solve a case let alone this war. Neither I am the FBI. The CIA is after your ass, Deimos. I don't doubt it'd take me a few weeks to build a case and throw you in prison for the rest of your miserable life".

He stood properly, turned around and went to pour himself some water. "But then again, you're a pathological liar and I don't doubt that you'll make my work difficult by bribing judges, sending distractions and responding to everything I try".

"One of my talents" Deimos admitted, getting up. "Listen,  _Cooper,_ I'm sure you already have a lot on your plate, I mean, it was all over the news. Don't you wanna focus more on your new-found daddy? You can thank me later, by the way".

Malcolm turned to him, raised an eyebrow and smirked. "Why, are you scared of me, Deimos? A teen?"

He turned to the door, and motioned to leave. "Fine by me. I'll go, me and my 'daddy issues'. Thanks for the admision, though. Good start on my work, literally confessing".

He stopped for a second, and with the speed of a bullet turned around, taking out his gun in the process and aimed at Deimos, just as Deimos took out his and aimed at Malcolm.

They stood there, and didn't move, both men pointing at each other. None of them spoke for a minute or two. Deimos was surprised by Malcolm's instincts, though; and Malcolm was surprised Deimos had tried to attack him... Maybe he shouldn't have.

"Attacking on treason now, are we?" he said. "Kinda low, isn't it?"

Deimos lowered the gun, and nodded in approval. "You're fast, kid. And very smart. But I am more astute".

Malcolm smirked. "Don't you know? The astute always win at the first moment, but are beaten before the end".

Malcolm lowered the gun and left the room.

Deimos put his gun away in a drawer, and looked at the door, where Malcolm had disappeared. "Then this war is far from the end".

* * *

"Alright" said Sami, utting away her phone. "I left Malcolm a message. Now we wait".

"Wait?" EJ repeated.

"Yeah, for him calling back" said Sami. "I honestly hope he does".

"He's gonna be family, whether he likes it or not" said EJ. "He will call. Besides, he doesn't seem to be the kind of guy who turns his back on people he cares about".

"Allie is really excited to meet her new brother" sighed Sami. "So are the others. I am too, actually". She looked at her husband. "This is huge, EJ".

"A new addition to the Horton family" he said. "They've had so many, I don't even know if that's a good thing or not anymore".

Sami chuckled. "Who knows. But I guess Lucas will want to know him first. That's ok, though".

"Sounds logical" EJ said. "Whatever happens, you know I'll be there for you, right?"

"I do" she smiled.

Her phone buzzed. Sami checked a new message. "It's him. Says he'll meet Lucas tomorrow but might be free the day after if not on the evening. See? I told you!"

"You're  _always_ right, honey" he said.

They looked at each other, and burst in laughter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Quote from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows


	13. Chapter 13

_"Ok, guys, this is it. As soon as the sun sets and it's dark, we attack"._

_A fifteen year-old Malcolm held his rifle as he talked to his team. They had arrived to the VRAEM in the Peruvian Amazon three days prior, split in two teams, one as backup, and they all were anxious and excited._

_The mission was simple: find the narcoterrorists and eliminate them._

_The Peruvian Army was weak, and the soldiers that went there were young and inexperienced, which resulted in them being massacred*. The President had made a secret call to the CIA, asking for help. The initial response was a big no. However, the Director accepted to send a team to show the Army how it was done._

_The sun disappeared, and after half an hour, nothing could be seen. Hidden behind trees and dense vegetation, they watched the campsite and everything going on there. They clung onto their weapons, as soon after all they could hear was the sound of crickets and the wind. Maybe a bird or two._

_When the silence was total, Malcolm gave the first signal. Two grenades were thrown to the camp, each one landing next to a tent. The explosions were loud, and threw the tents in the air. Objects and two bodies fell._

_The team entered the campsite shooting at everything. The narcoterrorists had a few seconds to react. Some of them managed to respond to the fire._

_But suddenly, shots were fired from behind them. All of a sudden, they had stopped, and Malcolm's team was surrounded._

_"Talk about bad luck" he murmured._

_The team were forming a circle, still with their weapons up, pointing outside as the narcoterrorists, outnumbering them, slowly approached them with their own rifles, until they stopped._

_One of them, facing Malcolm, gave a step forward. He gave him a good look, before chuckling._

_"Oye, son gringos" he said to one of his mates. "Y uno de ellos es un niño"._

_His mate looked at Malcolm weirdly, and checked out his uniform. "No es del ejército. Ahí dice CIA"._

_The first one chuckled again. "Conque nos hemos sacado la lotería, ¿eh? Llama a la capitana, querrá saberlo"._

_Malcolm wasn't too sure what was happening. While he could understand what they were saying (they knew he was from the CIA and their female captain had just been called), he didn't know exactly what they were up to._

_But he couldn't waste time. As he was about to press the button on his watch to call the backup team, the two men arrived, accompanied by a woman, dressed in a ripped military uniform and holding a rifle. The woodfire lightened her face as she approached._

_Malcolm lowered his rifle, and his face went white and full of shock. Never in a million years he would have imagined it. The woman just stared at him._

_"Hello, Malcolm"._

_Malcolm didn't think words could be formed in his throat anymore. But he found himself wrong when only one came out of his mouth._

_"Mom"._

* * *

Lucas waited in a table of the Brady Pub. He was nervous and excited. Today was the day he'd get to know his son, and if he averaged his feelings, the final result would be that he was absolutely terrified.

Not that he feared Malcolm wouldn't show up, he was sure he would, but he didn't know what to say to him.

Over the previous day, he had spent hours thinking about it. Trying to remember anything that could lead to him. He went back to that dark part of his life when he would drink any liquor he found, and sleeping with any female that crossed paths with him.

There was a blonde, gorgeus woman. He remembered her vagely. She had to be the one, considering they met during the late 90's.

What was her name? Heidi? Jenna? He wasn't too sure. They hadn't met in Salem, anyway. It had happened in some town near Chicago. He had taken Will on a trip or something, and he met that girl. While the then baby slept in a room, they conceived Malcolm in the other.

Then again, he was wasted, and the memories of that night were blurry and confusing. Not to mention he never knew... It had been supposed to be just a one-night stand, and she never told him, she never even tried to contact him...

But what's the use of crying over spilled milk? It wasn't that late, he could still get to know his son and be a part of his life, maybe not the milestones a child has, but he would be there for graduations and everything, right?

_"Look, I'll be honest. I_ do  _want to talk to you too. But right now's not a good time. I'm working"._

Right, he had a job. Quite strange, honestly. He was only eighteen, Lucas had supposed he would at least be in college or something. Malcolm certainly seemed like a smart guy. Maybe they'd talk about that too.

He had a lot of questions. A lot. Where he was born, who was his mother (especially that, he couldn't remember!), where he studied, what he did for a living, what he liked...

And the list went on and on and on. He was sure Malcolm would probably want to ask about some things about him and his new family too. Who knows, maybe they'd agree on some things, maybe they'd have things in common!

And soon his nervousness became hope, and his hope became excitement, and his excitement became fear, and his fear became nervousness again. For so long he had been sure he only had a son and a daughter, and for two years he had been sure only his daughter survived.

But never in a million years the idea of having another son out there would have crossed his mind. Though considering his past, he probably shouldn't be too surprised. But he wasn't having regrets. One never,  _ever,_ turned their back on their family. He felt determined to make it work, and if it didn't, at least he now knew.

Having that internal debate was how Malcolm found him. He entered the pub like it wasn't a big deal, wearing the very same jacket he had worn his very first day in Salem, and looked around to find his father, or an empty table if he hadn't arrived yet.

But Lucas was there, and Malcolm approached his table with his hands on his pockets. He stopped in front of him, and bounced back and forth on his toes for a second or two.

"So" he said. "You're here".

Lucas's mouth held open for a moment. "I am". He almost quickly pointed to the chair. "Please, sit down".

Malcolm obliged, and snorted. "Hopefully this won't be as awkward as it seems".

Lucas nodded. "So, um, tell me about yourself".

Malcolm raised an eyebrow. "Ok. My name is Malcolm Riley Cooper. I was born July 28 1999 in Seattle, Washington. I spent my childhood and puberty there. I love pizza. My favorite band is Foo Fighters. Aaaand I like to piss off people using sarcasm or whatever".

Lucas chuckled. "Ok, maybe we can start again. How about I go first?"

"Ok" he replied, shrugging.

"So, my name is Lucas Desmond Horton. I was born March 19 1971. Like you, my mother never told me who my father was".

Malcolm chuckled. "Talk about irony".

"It is" he replied. "I came to Salem after military school. I met Sami here".

"Oh, I know Sami" said Malcolm. "She's cool".

"Back then, she wasn't" said Lucas. "She was a tornado of chaos. But we won't talk about her. Not too late after I came, I found out Bill Horton, who'd be your grandfather, was my dad. I... Well, I didn't take the news too well".

Malcolm nodded. "He still alive?"

"He is" said Lucas. "And, well, I did meet your great-grandparents, Tom and Alice Horton. Sadly, Tom died shortly after. Alice, however, stayed with us for 16 more years".

"How did my... 'siblings' happened?" he asked.

"Not that I'm too proud of how Will came into our lives..."

"A one-night stand?"

"..."

"..."

"Yes".

Malcolm laughed. "You know, I'm starting to see a pattern here. A lot of people born here were the result of that. It's like some messed up soap opera".

Lucas laughed too, feeling relaxed.  _"This is going much better than I hoped"._

"So, your, um... Who in life would have been your big brother Will was born. Sami lied to my brother Austin about his paternity, and I found out I was his father when he was 2 years old. The following years, however, were a rollercoaster of fights and what now I see as unnecesary drama, plus my addiction to alcohol".

"I imagine that had to do with... me?" Malcolm asked.

Lucas shook his head. "Not exactly. I took Will on a trip outside Salem one day. I met this girl... She wasn't from that town either. So, we went to her hotel suite, I put Will in a room, and she and I drank and spent the night in the other one".

Malcolm nodded. "Nine months later, I came to the world".

"I should have known" said Lucas. "I would have taken my responsibility, I would have been there had she told me".

"It's ok" he sighed. "At least for me, it doesn't matter anymore. She admitted not even knowing your name".

"I must have forgotten to tell her in the heat of that moment" he replied. "But she did say hers. Something with 'H', but I can't remember..."

"Heather" Malcolm said. "Her name was Heather".

Lucas nodded. "Right, Heather. She was very, very pretty".

"She was" Malcolm agreed.

"May I..." Lucas started. "May I ask how...?"

"How she died?" He said, raising an eyebrow. "Not my favorite topic, to be honest".

"Oh, I'm really sorry!" said Lucas. "I didn't mean to make you feel uncomfortable...".

"It's alright" he chuckled. "It happened some years ago, I don't mind thinking about that... Though I wish it hadn't happened the way it did".

"An accident?" Lucas guessed.

"Sort of" Malcolm admitted. "Look, I guess, since you're my father, we'll have to start this 'bond' with no secrets and hidden stuff. I guess I should be honest with you, but you gotta promise, no,  _swear_ , you won't divulge it. You do it, and I'll get in trouble, not with the law, but with my boss".

Lucas was a little confused by that condition, but decided to accept. "Ok. I swear I won't divulge any information you give me".

"Good" he said. "I just hope you don't judge me for it. I had no choice".

Lucas frowned. "What are you talking about? She didn't die in an accident?"

"No" he finally said. "I killed her".

* * *

_"What the hell?" Malcolm said, shocked. "What... What are you doing here? You're supposed to be in the States!"_

_"And you're supposed to be in a camping trip" said Heather, indifferent. "So I don't think you're in any place to be surprised to see me. CIA, huh? All of a sudden all those trips and projects make sense"._

_"What doesn't make sense is you being here with them!" he yelled._

_"Cállate!" one of the men shouted, poking him with his rifle. Malcolm_

_"Hey!" Heather scolded. "Basta"._

_She turned to Malcolm, who was still wide-eyedly staring at her. "So, you or I first?"_

_"Excuse me?"_

_"You obviously want an explanation. So do I. So, tell me, son. Since when you've been working for the enemy?"_

_"Excuse me?!"_

_Heather chuckled. "Fine, I'll go first then. What do you want to know?"_

_Malcolm raised an eyebrow. "You don't mind telling the 'enemy'?"_

_Heather shrugged. "Only one of us isn't getting out alive. So, ask. What do you want to know?"_

_"What I want to know is what the hell you're doing in a narcoterrorist camp!" he exclaimed._

_"They didn't tell you?" Heather asked. She chuckled. "I'm their 'capitana'"._

_"How?"_

_Heather sighed quite happily. "It all happened years ago. We're 2014, aren't we? So I must have joined... Ten years ago. We are friends here, Malcolm. And there's a lot, a lot, of money in this field. How do you think I got the big house you were so awed by?"_

_Malcolm suddenly felt sick. "This? This is how?"_

_Heather looked at him simpathetically. "We don't have to fight over this, sweetheart. You can come with us. You and I, as a family. We'll be rich and powerful!"_

_"You're not too many" said Malcolm. "And the local goverment is pursuing you"._

_"The goverment is weak and permissive!" Heather exclaimed. "They can't hold themselves together and they're trying to do it with this country! They're condemned to failure!"_

_"You don't know that"._

_Heather scoffed. "Have you seen the level of corruption that prevails here? This is Peru's number one business!"_

_"If the country doesn't get profits, then it's not a business"._

_"It's_ our  _business"._

_This time, Malcolm scoffed. "You're not Peruvian. You're just a yankee who saw a chance of easy money here and rushed to get some"._

_"I was a single mother, Malcolm" Heather replied. "I had to take care of you in any way I could"._

_Malcolm shook his head. "How are you their captain? You were always around!"_

_"You just don't remember me being gone" she said. "But when you grew up, I knew you'd make questions. And you just don't quit here. Ever heard of internet? I was in charge of managing the money that got in and out of the country, and monitored the movements of our shipments so they wouldn't be traced"._

_That made sense, at least for Malcolm. He never expected his mother of all people would be this kind of person. But she was._

_"So, that's my story" she said, smirking. "Now, your turn. How in the world did my son get recruited by the CIA?"_

_"Can't tell" he said. "Not allowed"._

_Heather made a sound of disappointment. She took out a gun and made a motion to approach._

_Malcolm clung onto his rifle and pointed, as his team watched silently the scene, thinking Malcolm was setting her up. Malcolm was, actually, improvising. "Don't. Not one more step"._

_Heather chuckled. "Oh, Malcolm. You wouldn't shoot your own mother, would you?"_

_She ended up face to face with her son. Both Malcolm's hands were now on the trigger of his rifle, as the cannon was pressed against Heather's chin. "I love you, sweetie. Join us, and you won't die. Join us, and you will be set for life"._

_Malcolm looked at Heather's eyes. He saw himself in them. He saw the life he and his mother had back home. But the person he thought she was wasn't there anymore. Maybe she was never there in the first place. This woman, who he still loved, was, much to his anger, a total stranger._

_He looked at her with determination. "Not a chance". Covertly, taking advantage that his hands were together, he finally pressed the button on his watch._

_Suddenly, the backup team (that outnumbered the first team and thus, the narcoterrorists) appeared out of nowhere, firing against the enemy. Malcolm's team dispersed and fired, and before Malcolm could react, Heather had disappeared in the tumult._

_Soon, the campsite became a battlefield, and the confusion was so big, it almost became an "all against all" battle. The fireplace was destroyed, and the tents were now burning ._

_After only a few minutes, Malcolm's team got together again, being only a few narcoterrorists left. As the bodies fell and the team advanced, Malcolm stepped forward, shooting while his team did the same._

_But he went too far from them. From behind, a man jumped on him with a knife in his hand, and both struggled, the man to stab him and Malcolm to break free. He managed to hit him with his rifle, and with his eyes closed, for the pressure and tension of the moment were enormous, shot several times, but missed._

_However, the man fell to the ground, having been hit by a bullet from one of Malcolm's teammates. Suddenly, everything was silent again. Malcolm took a moment to catch his breath, nodded at his team, and looked around._

_The place was a disaster. The woods of the fireplace were all over the campsite, and the tents were on fire. Bodies were lying on the ground, and the silence after such a battle was just horrible._

_Malcolm glanced at his team. They were all older than him, and they were looking at him with sadness and probably pity._

_"What?" he asked._

_One of them looked at him, and then turned to the side. Malcolm followed his glance. There was a body lying not too far away._

_He slowly approached. The body was lying on their stomach, but the face was turned to the side. Malcolm leaned down to see better, and almost gasped in horror._

_Heather was dead._

_He turned to his team. "Who did it?" he asked, almost in a whisper._

_Malcolm felt as if all the air had been taken from his lungs, and felt he was starting to get desperate. As smart and prepared as he was, he didn't feel able to deal with that. He doubted he'd ever be. So when no one replied, his voice grew louder and angrier._

_"Who did it?!"_

_He looked at his mate, the one who had signaled the body, but he didn't answer either. He turned to the body, and gently turned it. There was blood on her stomach, but her hand, that had fallen under herself, was holding a knife._

_Malcolm got it. He looked at the spot where the body of his attacker lied. He remembered he had shot (stupidly) with his eyes closed. He got it. He knew what had happened._

_"Oh my God"._

* * *

Lucas was appalled. "I... What?"

Malcolm was staring at his own hands, which were joined on the table. "Look, I don't expect you to understand, because even I don't understand how it happened in the first place, but what I can tell you, because I'm sure, is that it was  _not_ intentional. At least, I did not want it to happen".

"But, how?"

Malcolm sighed. "My mother led a double life. She posed as a loving 'housewife' without a husband when in reality she was a narcoterrorist leading a team via internet. I didn't know they did that, and it turned out they didn't, but because she was from the USA, I guess she got some priviledges".

Seeing Lucas's frown, Malcolm rolled his eyes, knowing that he had to tell him everything. He took out his badge and credential and put them on the table.

Lucas took and examined them. "What's this?"

"I've been a CIA agent for five years now" he replied. "I was sent with a team to Peru to eliminate a group of them. We went for a surprise attack, but we were ambushed. I didn't know she was there. No one knew. She was their damn captain, for God's sake. And then, I managed to call our backup team. It was a massacre".

Lucas gulped. "And?"

"And" he said. "I was attacked from behind. I don't know why I closed my eyes during that moment. Maybe I felt it was too much. I broke free from the grip of that guy, and shot my rifle". He sighed. "I missed all the shots. One of my teammates saved my ass. And then, when I look, my mother's dead".

"But, she could've been shot by any of your teammates" Lucas suggested. "It doesn't mean it was you".

Malcolm shook his head. "You weren't there. She was in my fire range, she received all the bullets I fired".

"But how are you sure it was you?" Lucas insisted.

"I pulled some strings to perform an autopsy on her. Ballistics informed all those bullets came from my rifle". He chuckled bitterly. "When she died, she was holding a knife. I guess I'll never know if she planned on defend me or attack me".

Lucas exhaled deeply.

"You ok?" Malcolm asked.

"Yeah, yeah" he nodded. "Just a lot to take in".

Malcolm nodded. "Right".

Lucas looked at him. "How old were you?"

"Fifteen" he replied. "The director forbade me to go on another mission that could potentially involve shootouts until I was properly trained, not only physically, but also emotionally. He saw that what had happened had been too much, even for me. I got five months off to grieve and heal, they sent me to England, and I learnt informatic stuff when I came back. This is the second mission I got with possible violence involved".

"And when you finish..."

Malcolm shrugged. "I could either move out or stay, start a life here, and my missions would be like the tipical work trips. Depends on how this meeting ends, I guess".

"I, I understand" said Lucas. "I promised I wouldn't divulge what you've told me, and I won't. Never. And I get what happened with your mother wasn't your intention. I won't judge you. And I want you to know that I want you to be a part of our family, and I'd like you to stay when your mission ends".

Malcolm, for the first time, smiled at him. "Thanks".

They stayed in silence for a while.

"So" said finally Lucas. "What's this mission about? Can I know?"

Malcolm chuckled. "The war".

"Oh" he said. "So, you're investigating Chad and Deimos".

"I am" the boy replied. "Mostly just keeping an eye on them but yeah. The DiMeras are surprisingly cooperative. With who I have to watch my back are the Kiriakises".

"Oh, yeah, I've seen Sonny doesn't like you too much, does he?"

"Neh. He's never been happy to see me, ever since I came to town. Deimos has already aimed a gun at me. Victor Kiriakis is oddly silent about this. My guess is that they will try to stop me at some point".

"If you need any help..."

Malcolm nodded. "I know. But I can't take any sides".

"Ok" said Lucas. "I've seen you're friends with Chad, aren't you?"

"Yeah, sort of" he shrugged. "But what I said still stands. Can't take sides".

"Right, right" he said. "So, what else have you got to tell?"

Malcolm grinned. "Well, I'm good with languages, and I love to read some good literature.  _White Fang_ is my favorite novel".

"Oh, I read that one!" Lucas exclaimed. "Um, Will gave me a copy when he was in high school, I think. A very good story".

"It is" he agreed. "I also like History. To know about cultures and that stuff. It's fascinating".

Lucas and Malcolm talked for another hour or two. By the time they left the pub, a new bond had been formed between them.

* * *

_The director of the CIA sat in his desk, in an office somewhere in the world, reading some papers about the latest mission in Peru. It had been a disaster. The mission had been accomplished, but the results and consecuences had been emotionally devastating._

_Suddenly, he heard a struggle outside. He opened a drawer and took out a gun. The door burst open, and Malcolm stormed in. The director put the gun down._

_"Agent Cooper"._

_"Did you know?" Malcolm hissed. His eyes were a litlle red, and his face was full of anger._

_"I'm sorry?"_

_"Did you know?!" he repeated. "Did you know my mother was their captain? Did you know she was there when you sent me? Or was this all a coincidence?"_

_The director stared at Malcolm for a moment. He liked the kid. He was smart, adventorous and brave, and he felt horrible for what had happened to him. He stood up and went to the coffe machine._

_"Have a seat, Malcolm"._

_Malcolm stared at him disbelievingly, but obliged._

_"You don't know how sorry I am for making you go through that" he admitted. "But no, I did not know any of those things. I did not know, because there wasn't a reason to, and because the motive you went there was completely different. I can promise you it was a coincidence"._

_"I killed her, sir" Malcolm said. His voice was shaking, and he looked miserable._

_The director looked at him with sadness._

_"Don't look at me like that!" Malcolm yelled. "I'm sick of that look. It's the same look my team gave me when I saw her body"._

_The director put a hand on his shoulder. "I'm so sorry, son. I swear, if I had known, I would have told you"._

_Malcolm only let one tear fall. He was too proud to break down in front of anyone._

_The director let go, and pit his coffee on the desk. "You're not prepared, Malcolm"._

_Malcolm looked at him, offended. "What are you talking about? I_ am  _prepared! That's the main reason you sent me there, wasn't it?"_

_"No, I thought you were, but you're not" said the director. "You must not be just physically ready, you must be emotionally trained too. And I'm afraid that in future missions, there's always a chance you'll face worse things than this. And I don't want you to feel like this everytime you return. My mistake was to send you at such a young age"._

_Malcolm was about to object, but his boss stopped him. "I care about my agents, Malcolm. I do care about you. You've lost your mother, and you need to get it out of your system. You need to grieve"._

_"Are you firing me?" he asked._

_The director shook his head. "No. I'm giving you time off. Take it as vacation, or a healing trip, because you will need it. Your flight to London takes off in three days"._

_"Someone expecting me there?"_

_"No" he replied. "Had it been someone else of your age, I would have someone to give them therapy or something like that. But you're too stubborn for that. And I know you'll be better doing this on your own. The agency will pay for everything, and I'll still send you the checks"._

_Malcolm got up, not knowing how to react._

_The director gave him a small smile. "Half a year will be enough, but if you don't feel like it, just tell me. And remember, you're not a bad person, Malcolm. You'll get through this. You're a good person, and a good agent"._

_Malcolm swallowed, and nodded. "Thank you, sir"._

_The director nodded, and shook his hand. "Always my pleasure, agent Cooper"._

* * *

That evening, Malcolm entered his apartment, tossed the keys on the table and sat on the couch of his living room, as he recalled some old memories and thought about his meeting with his new-found father.

He thought about that dreadful day, and the days that had followed. He remembered not crying for what had happened. Just sadness. The first month in London he felt like a ghost, still processing the guilt and shock. It had been after that when he started to understand that it hadn't been his fault. That he wasn't to blame because he did not know.

Malcolm looked at his watch, and pressed the button. After a beat, a voice was heard.

_"Agent Cooper"._

"Good evening, sir" said Malcolm. "I hope I'm not bugging you".

_"No, no" the director replied. "Tell me. Have you gotten any news?"_

"Not today" he replied. He stayed silent for a second, before asking. "Did you know, sir?"

_"I'm sorry?"_

"Did you know my father was alive and well?" he asked. "Did you know he was here in Salem when you sent me? Or was this all just a coincidence?"

He heard a chuckle, and frowned. "What's so funny?"

_"Oh, nothing, son"_ the director replied.  _"I just remembered you asking me the same question not too long ago"._

"That day, huh?"

_"Yes, that day. But no, I did not know any of those things._ _I did not know, because there wasn't a reason to, and because the motive you went there was completely different. I can promise you it was a coincidence"._

This time, Malcolm chuckled.

_"What's so funny?"_

"Oh, nothing, sir" Malcolm replied. "I just remembered you giving me the same answer not too long ago".

The director laughed too.  _"I'm actually glad, Malcolm. You found your father. You found a family. I believe you called to talk about what will happen when your mission there ends, didn't you?"_

"Yeah" he admitted.

_"Well either you move away and we relocate you elsewhere, or you stay and settle there. Your missions will be like work travels"._

Malcolm thought about his meeting with Lucas. He had liked the guy. And the people, on the most part, were friendly and nice. And he had lots of things to know about his new family. The desicion was practically easy to make.

"Eh, I'll stay".

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *This is partially true. The situation in the VRAEM is far from pretty.


	14. Chapter 14

_The man tossed some papers and a few pens on the small table._

_"Here, entertain yourself with this"._

* * *

Sami was pacing around the living room for what seemed to be the hundredth time.

"He'll come, Darling" said EJ, starting to get annoyed by his wife's nervousness. "He met Lucas yesterday, he'll meet the kids now, ok?"

"Well, he  _has_ met them before, I think" she said. "Ugh, I just know it's gonna be so awkward!"

"Meeting someone for the second time? Yes, it might be" he mused.

"Not that" said Sami. "Just the fact that we'll see him in another light now".

"You'll get through it" said EJ, kissing her forehead as there was knock on the door. "I'll go get the kids".

Sami shook her hands, accomodated her clothes, breathed deeply, and went to open the door. "Hey!"

Malcolm was at the door. "Hey. Am I in a good time?"

"Of course!" she replied. "Please, come on in, we've been waiting for you".

Malcolm got in and sat on the couch. "I spent all morning thinking of good ways to present myself to Allie, but seeing that I've already done that, I resolved to simply say hi like it is a normal visit. Not too much's gonna change, right?"

"Right" she said, as Allie, followed by her siblings, entered the living room. They approached Malcolm with their hands behind their backs.

"Hi" they said at unison.

Sami rolled her eyes. "Oh my God".

Malcolm chuckled. "Hey, kids. You know my name, and I know your names, so we can skip the whole awkward part and just... Well, be cool with our new roles, right?"

"Are you our new brother?" asled Sydney.

"Yeah, of course" he said.

"But you're only Allie's biological brother" said Johnny.

Allie rolled her eyes, and turned to Malcolm.

He looked at her, and somehow understood her silent plead. "Well, screw biology! I sucked at that in school anyway. It's simple, she's my sister, you two are her siblings, ergo, you're my siblings".

Johnny turned to Sami. "I like him".

Sami was too busy tearing up with a wide smile to care about anything.

But suddenly, a sound of glass breaking, followed by a muffled swear, was heard from the kitchen.

Malcolm, not knowing about EJ being alive yet, got on alert immediatly. "Someone else here?"

Sami got a little nervous. "Well..."

The kids didn't know EJ planned to introduce himself, and thinking that he still had to hide (for whatever reason he had), Allie spoke up. "Must have been a mouse. I saw some weird gray hair once".

"No, that sound was definitely human" said Malcolm. To everyone's surprise, he took out his gun and went to the kitchen.

Sami, too late, tried to stop him. "Whoa, wait..."

Malcolm got into the kitchen, and aimed the gun at a very surprised EJ's face, who had been leaning down, picking up the pieces of the broken glass.

With a strong voice, to Sami's horror, and to the children's amusement and excitement, he yelled to him. "Hands where I see them! You're under arrest for trespassing..."

"What... What the hell?!" EJ exclaimed.

With amazing force, Malcolm made EJ stand up and and put his hands behind his back.

Sami finally got out of her shock and managed to react. "Malcolm no! Wait! He's my husband!"

"...you say can and will be used..." He looked at Sami with a frown on his face. "Wait, what?"

EJ pulled his arms, breaking free from Malcolm's grip, and glared at him. "That's right, you little brat. Get your hands off me. What do you think you're doing, playing cop? How dare you?"

Malcolm stared at him. "Sami never mentioned having a hus..." He looked at him better. "Wait, I've seen you before. You're EJ DiMera! Aren't you supposed to be dead or something?"

"Um, he's not dead" said Sami. "He never was. I never said anything because we must be prepared. Stefano doesn't know yet".

"Oh" he said. He sheepishly passed his hand on EJ's shoulder, like he was removing dust from it. "Sorry".

The girls were giggling, and Johnny was amazed. "That's so cool! I want a gun too!"

Malcolm realized he still had the gun on his hand, so he put it on the sheath on his hip.

"You're a cop?" Allie asked excitedly, as she and her siblings ran to and assaulted him with innumerable questions.

EJ sighed as Sami patted his back. "So much for smooth sailing".

Sami chuckled. "He'll explain that gun later. As for now, I believe we'll all laugh of this one day".

* * *

_Halloween 2017_

The Horton Town Square had never looked so festive. It was amazing how everyone overcame themselves to make the square look so pretty for any occasion every year.

Kids, men, women, even pets were in costumes, and everyone was having a great time.

Well, everyone, except a very pissed off Chad DiMera. The reason? He was wearing the biggest, fluffiest and pinkiest bunny costume anyone had ever seen, courtesy of none other than Abigail, who stood by his side with a proud look on her face and a cat costume on her own. Holding her hand, Thomas made the cutest little pug.

Yes, the family had gone for a theme. Next to them, Andre stood with a mocking smirk on his face as he took Stefano's wheelchair. Both men were wearing their usual suits, like they meant to disobey the universal rule of a Halloween party just for the sake of it. They disappeared between the crowd God knows for what.

"Ha!"

Malcolm had approached them, noticing Chad's costume, of course, hoping to make some fun of him and chat.

"Oh my God!" he laughed. "This is awesome. For some reason I'm getting a dèja vu, but I  _must_ take a picture".

As Malcolm's cellphone flashed and flashed, Chad rolled his eyes, ignoring the giggles of his son and Abigail snickering beside him. "Yeah, yeah, laugh as you want". He leaned in to low his voice. "But at least I'm not cheating by using my work outfit".

And that was because Malcolm was wearing what would be his CIA combat uniform, which was entirely blue, with the name of the agency on the left side of his chest in white letters, and his gloves and boots were also blue, but in a darker tone. He had a black belt with different sheaths for whatever he carried.

He smirked. "Doesn't count as cheating if no one knows it is".

"What are you two whispering about?" Abigail asked.

Before Chad could answer, Malcolm spoke. "Oh, nothing. I'm just trying to figure out whether I've seen this rabbit in Whinny The Pooh or the show of the Easter Bunnies".

Thomas, being only a little less than two years old, laughed along his mother when he saw her cracking up.

Chad sighed and turned to his wife. "Listen, I appreciate you getting me the costume..."

"Oh, you did this to him?" Malcolm interrupted, grinning.

"I thought he'd love it!" Abby exclaimed. "His favorite kid's book was The Velveteen Rabbit!"

"The Velveteen Rabbit was brown and white!" Chad protested.

Abby crossed her arms. "Well, it was either a pink bunny or no bunny at all".

"No bunny at all! Always no bunny at all!" he yelled.*

"Guys, cool it" said Malcolm. "I think I get what you're trying to do dressed as animals".

"Not just animals" said Abby enthusiastically. "We're going as pets". She also leaned in and lowered her voice. "I came up with that idea after we got the pink costume this morning so Chad wouldn't feel too mortified".

"I can hear you!" groaned Chad.

"I'll let you guys have fun" said Malcolm. "I'll see if I find Lucas".

"Are you guys getting along?" Abby asked.

Malcolm shrugged as he walked away. "So far, it's not that bad".

He left the couple and went to the candy table, where he found his siblings and Lucas. "Hey".

"Oh, hey man!" Lucas greeted, watching him high fiving the kids. "You know, last time I checked, wearing your work outfit doesn't count as a costume".

"I'll tell you what I told gay Bugs Bunny over there" he replied, pointing with his thumb in Chad's direction. "As long as they don't know it is, it doesn't count as cheating".

Lucas shook his head, as the kids went to join their friends. "So how's everything going?"

"Great, actually" said Malcolm. "It's been going smoothly these days, and I get pretty bored oftenly. So, I just go out, take walks. Other days I just stay at home, watch Netflix and stuff".

"Oh, that's cool" he replied.

"And you, Lucas?" he asked. "Anything interesting going on with your life?"

"Not too much" he said. He rubbed the back of his head. "Hey, um. I don't know if it's too soon, but... Maybe you could try calling me 'dad'?"

Malcolm gave him a nervous face. Bad sign. "Look, um, even though it's been great these past few days, don't get me wrong but, I honestly don't see that happening".

Lucas failed at trying to hide his disappointment.

But before he could say anything else, they heard someone tripping and a few gasps. They turned around.

A man had fell and lost his Batman mask. Everyone was surprised to see EJ's face.

* * *

_Thanksgiving 2017_

EJ being alive had been a big revelation. Stefano, of course was furious, and almost disowned Chad (again) and almost killed Sami for not telling him.

But the scandal died after a week. EJ refused to work for his father again, so he decided to get back his job as a lawyer.

A little tension had been built between Malcolm and Lucas. But in a way, Lucas understood. Malcolm wouldn't call him "dad" for not being used to it, and if he ever did, it wouldn't happen anytime soon. But Malcolm would still acknoledge him as his father, and that was all that mattered.

And so, the Bradys and the Hortons were having their usual Thanksgiving dinner at the Pub. Sure, not everyone could come, for they had their own families, but still people came.

As Lucas helped Marlena set the table, Caroline rushed out of the kitchen, and headed towards him.

"Lucas, Lucas!" she said, with a worried look on her face.

"Caroline" said Marlena, as they both turned to her. "Is something wrong?"

"What's the matter?" he asked.

"I had the dream again" she said.

"Dream? What dream?" Lucas asked.

"I-I didn't mention it to you?" she asked.

Lucas shook his head. "No, what's going on?"

"Caroline, are you feeling ok?" asked Marlena, putting her hand on her arm. "I'll get you a glass of water, ok?"

She went to the kitchen.

"Here" said Lucas, helping her sit on a chair. "What happened?"

Caroline sighed. "Remember when you were in the hospital? You had had a dream of Alice, and Tom, and Bo. You felt it was so real".

"Yes, I did" he replied. "But what does that have to do with your dream?"

"I didn't tell you, I must have forgotten" she said. "I've been having the same dream these past few weeks. At first I had it once in a while, but these past few weeks it has become more and more constant".

"What was it about?"

"I'm always in front of a door. It has a window, but it looks foggy inside whatever room's behind it. And I just look at it, until a hand hits the window and I always wince and wake up". She sighed. "I'm starting to think it means something. I think the dream you had meant something. I'm telling you this because the last time I talked about this kind of experience no one believed me except Steve, but this time I can tell you because you've been through something similar. I just thought you'd understand".

"Believe it or not, I do" admitted Lucas. "Maybe we could investigate. I think they mean something too. Something's not right".

"What's not right?" asked a voice behind him.

Lucas turned around to see Malcolm behind his chair. "Hi!"

"Hey, Lucas. Mrs Brady" he greeted. "What's up?"

"Oh, not too much" said Caroline, faking a smile. "I'm so glad you came. I hope you enjoy this evening".

"Well, it's been quite a long time since I've been in a Thanksgiving dinner..." He looked around. "This crowded, so I'm actually looking forward to it".

"Oh" Caroline nodded, this time smiling at him genuinely.

"Did you spend your holidays all alone before?" Lucas asked, a little puzzled.

"Neh" Malcolm shrugged. "Just the first year after my mother died. I spent the following ones with friends, you know?"

"And now you will spend them with your family" said Caroline.

Malcolm smiled at her and nodded. "Like I said, I'm looking forward to it".

* * *

Malcolm spent more and more time with the Hortons, especially with Lucas and the kids, getting to know them better and getting closer with them.

He never felt like an outsider, like he thought he would, and he liked that feeling. He never felt like he was a replacement either. In fact, he felt like he was filling an empty place that had always been there.

Of course, not everyone was very fond of him.

_"Freaking Sonny"._

Yeah, maybe he shouldn't have had him kidnapped, and maybe Sonny shouldn't have hired someone to stalk him, but hey, they were even. At least he thought so.

Not that they crossed paths too often. But when they did, Sonny always gave him dirty looks. Malcolm avoided eye-contact, for he preferred not to have any problems.

With Paul was another story. Being practically colleages, they got along pretty well, and they usually got out with John and Steve, talking about past experiences. For being so young and not too experienced as them, he would listen more than he talked.

As for Lucas, well, a little, just a little tension had been built between them. In a way, Lucas understood. Malcolm would never call him 'dad' because he wasn't used to it, and if he ever did, even though he'd like it, it wouldn't be the same. Lucas decided that it wouldn't be a big deal. Things hadn't changed.

* * *

_Christmas Eve 2017_

The Horton family gathered at the family house once again to celebrate Christmas, the birth of the Savior. The tree was in a corner, the decorations were abundant, the traditional food and sweets were on a table and everyone was arriving just in time.

The door was opened by Lucas, and Sami was there, holding a few wrapped boxes and she squealed a "Merry Christmas!" before letting herself in.

"Oh, thanks Sami" he said. "You shouldn't have".

Sami gave him a knowing look. "Is that your way of telling me you didn't get me anything?"

Lucas pretended to be offended. "Of course not! Here". He went to take out some boxes from under the tree as she greeted the other members of the family. He gave them to her.

"For the kids, and for you... I would have gotten something for your husband..."

"But you have never liked him and you never will and that's fine" she said. "He would have returned anything that came from your hands shattered in pieces anyway".

"Oh really?"

"Ok, maybe not. But he'd still feel a little uneasy, considering your 'rivalry" or whatever has gone on between you two all these years".

Lucas chuckled as the bell rang. He went to get it. "Fine, whatever".

He opened the door and got happy to see Malcolm outside, who carried a few small wrapped boxes. "Hey, merry Christmas!"

"Merry Christmas" he said, as he shook his hand, and received a hug from Sami.

"How's everything?" asked Lucas.

"Not so bad" he replied. "I went to the Kiriakis Mansion yesterday, had a talk with Victor, and Deimos, the usual. I'm pretty sure there's something going on with them, like they're up to something. The way they talked... It was weird".

"Well, you gotta be careful, ok?" said Sami. "God only knows the bloodshed that can be done when Victor Kiriakis is pissed off. And God, do we know how it is when hell breaks loose. Not only with the Kiriakises but with the DiMeras too".

"Hey" said Doug as he got out of the living room. "What are you doing here? The party's inside!"

"We'll be there in a second" Lucas replied.

"Alright" said Doug, and went back inside.

"The DiMeras aren't much of a threat right now. Victor, and hell, Deimos on the other hand are something to be cautious with" said Malcolm. "I'll handle them".

"Really? Because the great Malcolm Cooper is unstoppable?" Lucas joked.

"Sort of" he replied. "Though there are some mistakes in that sentence, but oh well".

"Mistakes?" Sami asked.

"Yeah, you see". Malcolm turned to Lucas. "You know I can't call you 'dad', and you know why. I just thought that there could be something I could do to seal our father/son bonding".

Lucas frowned. "I don't understand".

Malcolm raised his eyebrows. "I changed my name".

Seeing they were speechless, Malcolm just patted his father's arm. "Merry Christmas, Lucas" he said, and entered the living room.

Lucas just stared at him, and turned to Sami, who rubbed his arm and gave him an excited grin. He sighed happily, and they followed him.

* * *

_January 2018_

Paul entered the Kiriakis living room after Henderson let him in.

"Mr Kiriakis will be downstairs in a minute" he said.

"Which one?" Paul joked.

Henderson just chuckled and closed the door behind him. He looked around, and remembered something Malcolm had told him during one of their usual meetings at the Pub.

_The four men were laughing at some joke Steve had said about his youth._

_"...and that's how I ended up in the hospital with a pen embedded in my hand!" he was saying._

_"So funny!" laughed John. Suddenly, his phone beeped. He checked it and got up. "Ok, I gotta get back to work now"._

_"Yeah, me too" said Steve. "You guys don't worry, we'll see you at the office"._

_"Fine by me" said Malcolm._

_"Oh" John took out his wallet and out some bills on the table._

_"Oh, it's ok, dad" said Paul._

_"No worries, son" John replied. He winked. "I got this"._

_"Hey, you sure you don't wanna pay for my lunch too?" Steve joked._

_"Get out of here" he laughed. They left._

_Paul chuckled and returned to his meal. Malcolm, on the other hand, put his plate aside. "Cool, they're gone"._

_Paul, with some fries still in his mouth, glanced at him. "What?"_

_Malcolm leaned down on the table and lowered his voice. "Here's the thing: the Kiriakises are hiding something, and I got to know what it is"._

_Paul gulped. "What?"_

_"The Kiriakises" he insisted. "Deimos has been acting really weird lately. He already tried to pull a gun on me, so I'm sure he and Victor are planning to... Take me out"._

_Paul frowned. "Are you sure? I mean, really sure?"_

_"I am" he replied. "Look, I can't just go and eavesdrop or look through their things. I'll be dead if they catch me. That's why I want you to do it for me"._

_Paul raised an eyebrow. "You want me to go and look through drawers and that? And if I get caught?"_

_"Oh please" he waved his hand dismissively. "You're with Jackson. If you get caught the worst thing that could happen to you would be a break-up"._

_Paul looked at him indignantly._

_Malcolm raised an eyebrow. "You know you hate Deimos as much as your precious boyfriend does"._

_Paul sighed. "Fine, I'll do it"._

_"Cool" he replied. "Now set up a date"._

_"Wait, you mean now?"_

_"Of course! Or do you think he's sitting on his ass, enjoying fries as we do right now?"_

Paul sighed. "The career I had to choose" he mumbled. "I should have sticked as a baseball coach or whatever".

He glanced at the door, to make sure no one was coming, but it was silent. So, he started opening the drawers and looking under and between papers, trying to find anything incriminating. Suddenly, he opened another one, and saw a paper. With his first look, he saw it was a handwritten letter.

He was about not to give it much importance, until he saw some words that caught his attention. He took out the letter, looked to the door to make sure no one was close, and read it.

_To Deimos Kiriakis_

_Anywhere, any day, any year_

_By the time you read this I'll be either dead or still alive. I guess that depends on you. I should say, everything has depended on you lately. I'm writing this to tell you, I don't care anymore. You've taken everything from me, you took my life with no apparent reason. But I'm fighting. I won't let you keep doing this to me. I'm coming for you. I'll take my life back. I admit, I never knew, and I'll never know why you've kept me here. I don't want to know either. At first I did wonder why, what I had done, what you wanted. In my fuzzy state of mind that day, I remember you saying something about revenge. And the moment I knew your name, I knew something bad was in for me. In a way, I'm glad you hadn't tortured me. I've kept my sanity. But beware, Deimos. I'll escape from this hellhole soon. And i promise you, you will never see it coming._

_Bill Robin._

Paul frowned. "What the hell?" he muttered.

Suddenly, he heard the door of the living room open, and he, in a reflex action, turned around, hiding the letter behind his back, as Sonny walked in.

"Hey. Sorry for keeping you waiting".

Paul faked a smile. "Eh, don't worry about it". He hid the letter in his backpocket. "So, ready to go?"

"Yeah".

* * *

A little while later that evening, Paul was sitting on the bench at the park, constantly looking at his watch and clutching the letter in his hand. So Deimos had someone deprived of freedom. Interesting. The year had just started, and it looked like they finally were making progress in their plan to bring him down.

He didn't mention anything to Sonny, for he feared he wouldn't believe him, or try to solve it himself by attacking his uncle with questions and threats, and he couldn't risk any lives.

"Waiting for me?" asked someone behind him.

Paul turned around to see Malcolm standing there.

"Hey, thanks for meeting me".

Malcolm nodded. "I assume you did as I asked you".

"I did".

"And judging by that grin on your face, I assume you found something".

"That's right".

"Well, thank you very much" he replied, sitting next to Paul. "So, what'you got?"

Paul looked at the letter in his hands, and gave it to Malcolm.

Malcolm took the paper. "What's this?"

"Just..." Paul sighed. "Read it".

Malcolm obliged. As he read, his frown grew bigger and bigger. Finally, he looked at Paul.

"Who the hell is Bill Robin?"

"No idea" he admitted. "But, Malcolm, this could be the chance we've been lookimg for! Sonny won't be stressed anymore, and you will accomplish your mission!"

Malcolm nodded, and put the paper in front of Paul's face. "I can't deny that. But even if we cormer Deimos, he won't talk. He'll play dumb with us, and we can't waste time".

"What do we do?" asked Paul.

"You make sure the Kiriakises don't suspect a thing, and that includes Jackson, and return to your normal activities".

"And what are you gonna do?"

Malcolm smirked, and lifted the letter in his hand. "I'll find out who this "Bill Robin" is".

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Dialogue taken from Friends


	15. Chapter 15

Chad entered the living room of the mansion, followed by Malcolm, who was making another work visit that day, reading some papers.

"So, as you can see, the numbers fit perfectly, and all our offices have been properly supervised" he was saying.

"Uh huh" said Malcolm. "Ok listen. First, I can't see anything since you're the one with the papers. Second, I don't understand your business mumbo jumbo. Third, I'm just here to make sure this war isn't getting out of hand. My mission is to put an end to it".

"Kinda funny that you said you were on vacation when you first came here" Chad said.

"I was" he replied. "I was assigned to this a few days later. Now, how about we look at the numbers between you and Titan?"

"Right" Chad smirked. "Tea?"

As he went to make some, Malcolm sat on the couch. "You know, so far you guys have been more cooperative. The Kiriakises are a harder bone to crack".

"Deimos already point a gun at you?" Chad asked.

Malcolm rolled his eyes. "Wow, so I'm not the only one".

Chad chuckled, and sat on the couch after giving him a cup. "I lost count of how many times Deimos has tried to kill me. Him holding a gun to your face should be like a warm welcome, compared to what most of us have... Experienced".

Malcolm brught the cup to his lips, but put it away with a pained face almost immediatly. "Ack, man! Did it have to be that hot?"

Chad laughed. "Sorry. Father likes it that way, I'm kinda used to serve it like that".

"And here I thought the old man only had scotch and sweets" he said with a pained face.

"Uh, no, that's mine. Father's a diabetic".

Malcolm drank some cold water (the tea was hotter than hell), and even added some to his cup, and drank it. "Much better".

Chad drank his cup too. "So, you were talking about Deimos. Anything interesting going on with that nutjob?"

"The guys has enemies like, everywhere" Malcolm replied. "I spoke with my boss the other day. They're evaluating his level of danger".

"How come Deimos is a threat to the CIA when my father was even worse?" Chad wondered.

"Ah, this one's good" he said. "Stefano has worked with the agency before. A fellow agent once got him out of jail for I don't know what, a few years ago. That was one of the first stories I heard when I first started there. And he hasn't done something... 'Chaotic' in quite some time. Since he's old and practically neutralized by age and bad health, it's been decided the Devil will take care of his fate".

Chad raised an eyebrow. "Now that's a good one".

He walked to the table to leave his now empty cup. "As for this war, we haven't made any moves to provoke Deimos or Victor. And I'm certainly keeping an eye on Andre ever since he ordered that sabotage that almost costed Lucas's life".

"I'm sure he loves that" Malcolm mused. "Fine. I guess that's all, then".

"Alright" said Chad, opening the door for him. "If that's all, I guess 'll see you around".

"Ok". Malcolm was about to leave, walking past Chad, when he turned around suddenly. "Actually, I do have something you can do for me".

Chad shrugged. "Fine, name it".

"Do you think you can make a search for a man called 'Bill Robin'?" he asked. "Send me whatever you find on him. See if he has any connection to Salem".

"Yeah, sure".

* * *

Victor was sitting comfortably on his couch, having a cup of coffee and reading the newspaper, when Deimos stormed in. Victor had gotten used to his brother's constant anger, so he didn't even flinch at the sound of the door being hardly opened, or Deimos walking with heavy, quick steps, or him pouring himself a glass of scotch, and throwing it to the fireplace.

"There goes my last collection of fine glasses" he muttered, unimpressed.

Deimos, however, was letting steam out of his ears. "Your nephew... He's just... URGH!"

Victor remaint calm. "Which one of them?"

"You know who I'm talking about" he hissed.

But Victor shook his head. "It's not a secret almost everyone in this family despises you to death. I even hated you myself, so anyone would love to do anything to piss you off. So no, I don't know who you're talking about".

"Sonny, of course!" Deimos exclaimed. "That little rascal, I swear to God..."

"Alright, alright, what has he done now?" he asked.

Deimos clenched his fists. "He's plotting against me! I just know it! Ugh, why the hell does it matter? He's making a plot to take over my company and..."

"Ok, now hold your horses" Victor interrupted. "First of all, it's  _my_ company, that  _you_ stole from me. And second, why on Earth would that boy be against you? What would his motives be?"

"I don't care!"

"And here I thought you two were best of friends" Victor added sarcastically.

Deimos seemed to calm down a little. "I liked him a bit at first. He may have been young, but he had determination and passion for the business. But then I realized he wasn't trustworthy at all. Let's face it, Victor, your nephew has hated me since day one!".

"Of course he did. You tricked his beloved great-uncle into giving you the company and the money".

"Oh, please, give me a break" Deimos said, annoyed.

Victor chuckled. "Sonny's a good boy, Deimos. He's smart, and adventorous, and he's actually my only hope for redemption for the family. He's not a mobster. I wouldn't worry about him. You see, Sonny is like a barking dog. He'll never bite".

Deimos huffed. "We'll see. I'm not taking my eyes off him, brother. I know he wants the company for himself".

"He does" confirmed Victor. "But it's not the time yet".

Deimos let himself fall on the couch, and exhaled.

Victor returned to his newspaper. "Now, about real threats. What will we do about Mr Cooper?".

"He's Horton now" said Deimos. "He's a kid. It shouldn't be too difficult to take care of him".

"Kids can be sneaky and astute as rats, and that boy is certainly someone not to underestimate". Victor warned, as he put on his coat. "I suggest you watch carefully what you do, and take him out of the picture before we lose more funds".

Deimos nodded and smirked, watching his brother leave. "That's the plan. And where are you going?"

"Oh, to have my afternoon coffee as everyday with Maggie".

"Right" said Deimos, sitting on the couch. "Have fun".

* * *

Caroline was having her usual tea at the Pub like everyday, in a table, as she solved crosswords in the Spectator. She looked up when she heard the door open and saw Lucas walk in.

"Ok" he said. "Tell me what you saw this time".

Caroline sighed. "The same. I don't understand this at all! These past months I've had the same dream every single day. But, like two weeks ago, the've become less and less constant. What does this mean?"

"I wish I knew, Mrs Brady" said Lucas. "But we could always tell Marlena. Why don't you want her help?"

"I just don't want to bother her" she replied bitterly.

"Bother her!" Lucas exclaimed. "Why would anyone be bothered by you? Mrs Brady, I know Marlena certainly wouldn't be. She's a professional, she might have an answer".

"Oh, I don't deny that" she said. "But this is something... Supernatural. I don't know, I just want to know what is wrong with my mind".

Lucas thought for a moment, as several ideas crossed his mind, one worse than the other. But then, something, maybe the wildest thought he'd ever had, got him. Or maybe it was too much... He had to at least try.

"Do you remember... Celeste?"

"Celeste?" she repeated, quite surprised. "I haven't seen her since dear Lexie passed". She crossed herself. "I haven't heard from her either".

Lucas made a doubting face. "Maybe we could contact her... You say this is something supernatural... She has some experience with that".

Caroline thought about it. "Yes. Yes, she has. Wait". She took out her phone, pressed a few buttons, frowned and tossed it on the table, sighing in defeat. "I can't use this thing".

"Here, let me" said Lucas, taking the phone.

"It doesn't even have a password!" Caroline exclaimed as Lucas searched online. "You know I'm in treatment for Alzheimer, and I'm surprised I haven't lost my mind yet after all this time, by the way, because there's always the risk of forgetting!"

"If you forget something, it doesn't mean your treatment's not working" he offered with a smile. "We all forget things. Sometimes, I forget to add sugar to my coffee in the morning. You can imagina my face after that bitter sip".

Caroline chuckled, and Lucas finally found something. "Ah, found her number. Celeste Perrault".

He took out his own phone and dialed. After a few seconds, someone picked up. He glanced at Caroline and spoke. "Yes, hi. This is Lucas Horton, from Salem. Yes. Um, wait, there's someone who will tell you".

He passed the phone to Caroline, who took it, not too sure, and put it on her ear. "Hello, Celeste. Oh, yes, it's so good to hear you again too. Oh, you know, getting older as years go by. Yes, I'm fine, except for something. Yes, something I could use your help with".

* * *

Malcolm walked past the square, with his hands in his pockets, humming along the song that played on his headphones.

But as he passed by the tables, he couldn't help but feel eyes on him. He frowned, and steps became slower, until he stopped, and turned around. From a table, Victor Kiriakis was giving him a death glare.

Malcolm looked around, pretending to see if Victor was looking at anyone but him. Since no one was near, he just smirked at walked to him.

"Great day, isn't it?" he greeted.

"What do you think you're doing?" asked Victor.

"Sometimes I wonder the same thing" Malcolm replied.

"Oh, cut your game" he said. "Your 'interviews' are upsetting my family members and affecting the progress of my company".

"You mean Deimos's company" Malcolm said sardonically, earning a worse glare.

"You're putting yourself in dangerous lands, Horton" Victor warned. "Your constant presence in my house is not appreciated".

"Constant? I come once every two weeks!" he exclaimed. "I don't ask too many questions, Victor. I don't see how I'm a threat to you. Unless, of course, you guys are hiding something".

"There's nothing" the elder man said quickly. A detail Malcolm couldn't help but notice.

Malcolm just smirked. "Look, Victor. I don't know what is it that you hide, and it's not in my plans to find that out anytime soon. But you gotta know, I'm dealing here with mobsters and killers here and I'm perfectly aware of that. I'm perfectly aware that you want me out of the picture".

"You know nothing" he said, standing up.

"Oh, but I do" he replied. "You can strike whenever you want, Kiriakis. And I'll be ready to strike back".

"Are you threatening me?"

Malcolm shook his head. "Just saying. But I can tell from the look in your eyes that you're ready to send someone to my house and smother me in my sleep, right? It's funny how things turn up. You're being worse than the DiMeras".

"You little..." Victor got so angry he smacked Malcolm's head.

"Ow!"

"You're going to..." Victor grabbed Malcolm's face and shook his head with both his hands.

Since Victor was an elderly man, there wasn't too much Malcolm could do to defend himself.

"Ouch, let go!"

"VICTOR KIRIAKIS!"

Victor stopped and let go of Malcolm. His wife Maggie was walking with furious steps towards him.

"What on Earth do you think you're doing?!" she demanded.

Malcolm rubbed his head (Victor had pulled his hair too) and glared at Victor, as Maggie stood between him and her husband.

Victor looked surprised. "Maggie, I..."

"Shush!" she said. "I don't want to hear it!" She turned to Malcolm with a smile and a soft voice. "I'm so sorry, dear. Victor tends to be a little impulsive, I really hope you didn't get hurt".

"What? How do you even know he didn't start it? He..."

"I said shush!" she yelled, making Malcolm wince, for she was still looking at him. Then, she turned to face her husband. "If you're not aware, this is my nephew you were assaulting!"

"Oh right" said Malcolm behind her. He cautiously pointed at Victor. "Does this mean you and I are related now?"

"You and I are going to have a serious talk, Mister" said Maggie. She turned around again, and gave Malcolm an apologetic smile. "I apologize again for my husband's behavior. I hope it didn't harm you too bad".

"It's ok" he replied.

Maggie smiled at him again, and then got her face serious, again, and grabbed Victor's arm, dragging him away.

Still puzzled (and quite amused) by what had just happened, Malcolm walked away.

* * *

"Ok, here we go" said Sonny as he passed Ari to Gabi at her door. "We had so much fun, didn't we, sweetie?"

Ari nodded as she hugged her mommy.

"I'm so glad you got some time off to be with her, I know you've been very busy lately" said Gabi.

"Nah, are you kidding? I'm never too busy for my little princess" he said, as Ari ran to her room. "I vowed I'd be there for her every single day until the day I die and that's how it'll be".

Gabi nodded. "Will would love that".

"Yeah, he would" he said. "Anyway, I'll go now..."

"No, no" she said. "Come in, we have a lot to talk about".

"We do?" he asked, as Gabi took his hand and pulled him inside with a laugh.

"Of course we do, silly!" she replied. "How's everything with Paul? Tell me everything!"

"Great, actually" he said. "It's going smoothly and calm. I like it".

"Looks like you're happy again" she observed.

He smiled. "Yeah. I wasn't sure there'd be that chance... But I'm happy so far".

"Good, I'm glad" she replied. "As long as you're happy, I am, and so is Ari".

"You think?" he asked. "Because I know she is reluctant to even talk to Paul, I just hope she doesn't get too upset if Paul and I get even more serious".

"Well, are you?"

Sonny shook his head. "No, not yet. I'm saying  _if_ that happens".

"Well, then she won't get upset" Gabi resolved. "I know what you fear. You're afraid Ari will think you're replacing her father with someone else".

"I won't. I was the one who told her her daddy was irreplaceable, and I still think that".

"Then she won't be upset" she said comfortingly. "Well, maybe at first, but she'll adapt. She always does".

"Yeah" he said. "I guess you're right".

"I am" Gabi smiled. "I always am".

They chuckled.

* * *

Malcolm entered his apartment, tossed his keys on the table, next to an empty glass, and went to the bathroom, rubbing his head.

After coming out, he dropped himself on the couch, and checked Deimos's letter.

"Bil Robin, Bill Robin, Bill Robin" he muttered. "Now who the hell are you and has Deimos done to you?"

He studied the letter over and over for a solid hour, but nothing came to his mind. Frustrated, he stood up, and went to toss the paper on the table and go to sleep. But so bad was his luck that he accidentally hit the glass with his hand, and it fell and broke.

"Dammit".

He leaned down to pick up the pieces, silently cursing. Suddenly, white, blinding light appeared to his side. He looked, but instantly covered his face with his hand for it was so shiny it hurt his eyes.

The light came from the window. Malcolm tried to look again, and this time he could since the light seemed to go away, but it was because of two shadows that had emerged from it.

These shadows, people shadows, walked towards him slowly, until they revealed themselves. They were an elderly couple, a couple Malcolm vaguely recognized.

Once they were in front of him, the woman smiled at him. "Hello, Darling".

Malcolm was looking at them cautiously, trying to come up with any coherent explanation for this. But nothing. Or...

"Ok, what the hell did Chad put on my tea?"

"Nothing, son" said the man. "You have not taken anything".

"Then it was Victor" he resolved. "Old bastard shook my head so roughly my brain is now a mess and I'm hallucinating".

"You are not, Malcolm" said the woman. "You are sane and lucid".

"How do you know my name?" he asked. "Who are you?"

"I believe you know the answer already" said the man.

Malcolm looked at them carefully. "I do, don't I? You're the people from that plaque at the square. You're the famous Tom and Alice Horton".

"How have you been, Malcolm?" Alice smiled.

Malcolm, still puzzled, could barely form any words without stuttering. "Good, I-I guess. N-Not e-everyday I get t-to see ghosts in the middle of house, do I?"

Tom chuckled. "That's the incredible part of life. When you see someone like us, in our form, be it dreaming or awake, you understand it actually never ends".

"So it's true?" Malcolm asked. "Heaven exists?"

"It exists for whoever wants and believes it is real" he replied.

Somehow, that made sense. But something was off. "Why are you here?"

Tom and Alice shared a sad look.

"You are a strong, determinate young man" said Alice. "We saw that. We know you can help our family solve a problem they do not know they have".

Malcolm frowned. "And what is it?"

"Our family is incomplete, Malcolm" she continued. "One of us is not where they are supposed to be. And our family cannot do anything, for they believe they are with us".

Malcolm took a few seconds to process what Alice had said. "So you're saying... Our family thinks one of their members is dead, when they're not? Who is it?"

"That, my dear boy, we are not able to tell" she sadly admitted.

"You must find and bring them back to our family" said Tom. "We know you are capable of this, for you are intelligent and perseverant. We know you will not surrender until you do as we ask".

"How can I do that?" Malcolm asked. "It's not like you're giving me enough information to work with. And what about the rest of the family? Do I tell them my dead great-grandparents told me someone's missing? They won't believe me!"

"We know it is a lot we are asking from you" Alice said. "But you are our hope. Yes, we know they will not believe you and that's why we did not ask them. But you will not be alone".

"Whenever you need help" said Tom. "All you have to do is ask. You might be surprised by who can have your back".

"And we will be with you" said Alice. "Always".

Malcolm was touched by the inconditional support he was being offered. So he knew this was real, and made his decision.

"Ok, but... Could you at least give me a hint?" he asked. "Anything at all?"

Tom and Alice shared a glance.

Finally, Tom speaked. "The third monarch of the resurrected son of Rome is the missing piece in our puzzle".

_"What the hell?"_ Malcolm thought. "Beg your pardon?"

"Time is up" said Alice, as the light that surrounded the couple grew brighter and brighter again. "We must go now. Remember, you shall ask for help whenever you need it".

"No, wait, wait!"

The light shone brighter than the sun, blinding Malcolm, and before he knew it, Tom and Alice had disappeared, and everything went dark.

* * *

Sonny walked through the square, thinking about his talk with Gabi. He had finally found happiness again, and moved on from Will's tragic death.

He had learned to live without guilt, and yeah, Malcolm's arrival to town had messed things up a little for him, but some time had passed, and while he still didn't like the guy, he sort of tolerated him now, especially since the revelation that he was Lucas's lost son (which explained his resemblance to his deceased husband).

And as for Paul? He  _was_ happy. Life wasn't that bad.

Looking down, he got so distracted with his thoughts he didn't see where he was going, and bumped someone equally distracted with his phone.

Both looked up, and Sonny felt hostility building up inside of him. "Watch your step".

Chad looked at him indignantly. " _You_  watch it".

They quickly stepped as far away from each other.

"What are you doing here?" Sonny asked.

"Errands" Chad replied. "Why do you care?"

"Oh, nothing" he said, crossing his arms. "Just wanna make sure you're not plotting to sabotage us again".

Chad scoffed. "That was an unauthorized move. I had nothing to do with it".

Sonny scoffed this time. "Right, because your word is so valuable".

"Look" he said, fed up. "Whatever I do is none of your damn business. And as for my role in your company's losses, believe whatever you want, it's what you always do anyway".

"At least I haven't chosen the illegal way to run the business" he spat.

Chad smirked. "Neither have I. Oh, and by the way, as far as I'm concerned, the difference between us is that I  _do_ run a company, while you're just one of Deimos's pawns".

Sonny clenched his fists. "Shut up".

"Oh, what's that?" Chad said sardonically. "Nothing to say this time? Cool, then that's my cue to leave".

He made a motion to leave, but as he walked past Sonny, he grabbed his arm.

"Do you mind?" Chad said, pulling away his arm from Sonny's grip.

"I don't get why you're still holding such a grudge against me" said Sonny.

"It's a war" he replied. "It's nothing personal".

"Oh yeah?" Sonny asked in disbelief. "Do you remember what happened not too long ago? I told you I planned to be with Paul. You were outraged".

Chad scoffed. "That may be personal. Of course I was angry. You chose to be with the man your husband slept with".

"He didn't know!" Sonny insisted.

"You gave Will a lot of crap for that, and always ran to him" Chad continued, ignoring him. "He ended up all alone".

Sonny narrowed his eyes. "If you're so upset about that, why didn't you do anything?"

Chad rubbed the back of his head. "You don't know how bad I regret hoping you two would reunite someday, I kept my distance because I was selfish to put my things aside and put other's problems first. You saw me at the cemetery".

"Don't tell me you still go".

Chad glared at him. "I promised my friend wouldn't be alone anymore. Do you still even go anyway?"

"It doesn't matter" Sonny said. "I'm with Paul now".

"Of course you are" said Chad. "Are you going to tell me you love him now?"

"I do" said Sonny. "He's great".

"Uh huh".

"What the hell does that mean?"

Chad smirked. "You don't love him".

Sonny scoffed. "What?"

"You don't" repeated Chad. "I've seen you together. You're all too sappy and flirty maybe, but I can tell you guys don't..."

"Don't what? Have chemistry?" Sonny raised his arms in annoyance. "Now you're gonna tutor my love life?"

"No" he replied. "We're not friends, Sonny. Because I wanna be a good person, I decided to tell you. But I also know you won't listen to me so I'm just gonna sit and watch your life tear apart after you guys split up".

"That's not gonna happen" Sonny said.

"Fine" said Chad, raising his hands in surrender. "I don't care. Just saying because you wanted the truth".

Chad walked away, typing on his phone.

Sonny glared at him until he was out of sight, and sighed, walking home.

_"He's wrong"_ he thought.  _"I do love Paul"._

He looked up, and saw a jewelry store. He smirked.  _"And I know what to do to prove it"._

* * *

Malcolm opened his eyes. He was lying on the floor, and his head ached like a son of a bitch.

He felt a sharp pain in his hand, and saw blood coming out of it. A piece of broken glass had embedded in his hand. He took it out and went to the bathroom to clean his wound.

When he came out, wrapping his hand with a gauze, he glanced at the window, which was open. How had he ended up on the floor? Had he been asleep alll the time and it had been all a dream? Or maybe he passed out due to the impression of seeing his deceased great-grandparents who he never met.

Had it all been real? He wasn't sure.

His phone vibrated. He took it to read an upcoming message from Chad.

_"Nothing. Checked on the National registers and even other countries and there wasn't any information either. Bill Robin doesn't exist"._

Strange. Malcolm frowned and sat on his couch. So there's no Bill Robin. Then he had two options: this was a trick by Deimos to disorient him, or the person allegedly taken by him wasn't using his real name.

_"Of course"._

A pseudonym. How come he didn't think about it? Still, there wasn't too much he could work with. Unless... No, it would be too much of a coincidence.

He thought about what Tom had told him.  _"You might be surprised by who can have your back"._

And Chad had bothered to help him with this first attempt to find 'Bill Robin'. He had his first ally in this quest to find his missing relative!

But first, he had to solve if what had happened was real or not. Maybe an interview with Father Louis could help. And maybe visit one of the most Catholic people he knew.

"Caroline Brady".


	16. Chapter 16

A dark-skinned woman, wearing black heels and a dress with also a necklace, walked into the Brady Pub holding a tablet in a hand and a Bible in the other. She sat in a table and ordered some coffee and a sandwich.

Caroline got out of the kitchen, and her face went into a big grin when she saw the new visitor. "Oh my goodness!"

Celeste Perrault saw her old friend and grinned too, standing up and greeting her with a big hug. "Oh, Caroline, it's so good to see you again!".

"It's so good to see you again too!" Caroline exclaimed, embracing her and then letting go. "Oh, there's so much we have to talk about!"

"Indeed, darling, indeed" she replied, sitting. "But please, have a sit and talk to me first about your dream. You sounded so worried on the phone".

"Oh, dear, that's certainly because I am" she lamented. "Like I said, only you can give me an answer. I hope I don't bother you by asking... you know".

"Not a chance" said Celeste. "I will be more than glad to use my powers to help you. Just tell me. What is it that is causing you trouble?"

"Trouble?" said a voice behind her. They turned around to see Malcolm standing there. "Who's in trouble?"

* * *

"Sami!" Lucas called as he entered Sami's apartment. "Are you here? Sami!"

"I'm here!" Sami replied from the kitchen.

Lucas wandered around the living room. On the table, three plates had been placed, with yellow tablecloths under them, and each one of them had a fork and a knife. It looked kind of fancy.

_"It's only six o' clock"_ he thought.  _"Eh, I'm hungry anyway"._

He frowned when he saw the third plate with a fork and a knife as big as the others (he thought he, Sami and Allie would have an intimate dinner).

_"She's growing"_ he remembered.  _"She's ten, time flies"._

"So" he said, sitting. "Are the kids with EJ?"

"Not at all" said a deep, accented voice from the kitchen.

Sami, grinning, got out with two covered trays of food, followed by EJ, who was taking off his kitchen gloves with the most bored look on his face.

"I made pie" he deadpanned.

"W-what?" Lucas asked, appalled. "I thought we were eating with Allie!"

"Allie and her siblings" said Sami. "Are with Chad at the mansion, believe it or not. And before you say anything, Stefano is in Chicago for the day so they're safe".

Lucas, wide-eyed, didn't even move. EJ sat in front of him, and Sami sat on the table's side.

She quickly glared at him. "You're not going anywhere, by the way". She turned to EJ. "Neither are you".

"I live here anyway" EJ muttered.

"Now" she said, grinning again. "I arranged this dinner because you two have been on each other's throats since, I don't know, 2007? Well, that's stopping now".

"Lucas and I have barely spoken to each other ever since I came back" EJ argued.

"Still" she insisted. "You two have had children with me, and don't even try to deny that you love  _every_ one. So, to have a loving environment, full of peace and harmony, you two are gonna start a path of friendship".

Lucas made a barely audible gagging sound, and scoffed. "Look who's talking about peace and harmony".

"I'm serious!" Sami said. "Now, dinner".

She uncovered the trays, revealing roast pork and mashed potatoes, and some salad of course.

Lucas was impressed, but chuckled instead. "If you think you're gonna buy me with pork..."

"Oh, I'm definitely not" she said smirking. "But I happen to have some cherry pie as dessert... Didn't you mention it was your favorite?"

Lucas narrowed his eyes. "I so hate you right now".

Sami sat straight with a proud smile. "Eat, please. I made this with all my love".

Both EJ and Lucas shared an alarmed glance as they were taking their forks to their mouths.

* * *

"Oh, Malcolm, good evening" greeted Caroline, trying to stand up.

"Oh, please, don't" he said, stopping her. "How's everything going?"

"Good, good" she replied. She signaled Celeste. "Let me introduce you to Celeste Perrault, an old friend of mine who has come on a visit".

Both Malcolm and Celeste exchanged their greetings.

"So pleased to meet you" Celeste said.

Then, Malcolm rested his hand on the edge of the table. "So, I heard someone was in trouble".

"Oh, it wasn't anything" Caroline dismissed. "Celeste and I were only catching up over these past few years we haven't seen one another".

"Few? I would say lots" said Celeste. "Not that there's too much that I don't know. I've been aware of so many things that have happened while I was gone".

"The news?" Malcolm asked.

"Oh, no" she replied. "God knows they only show you what you want to see, but not the entire and true story of so many events".

"Celeste is a psychic" said Caroline. "And a very good one, I must say. She was great help during some difficult times here in Salem".

Malcolm raised an eyebrow, interested. "Is that so?"

"I'm not one that brags" Celeste admitted shyly. "I work with human senses, vibes, and feelings. They and the spirits show me the fates that wait for us at every moment of our lives".

"That's so cool" he said. "How does that work?"

Celeste glanced at Caroline, and then at him. Suddenly, she grabbed him by the wrist, and closed her eyes.

"Um, what are you doing?" Malcolm asked, puzzled.

Celeste didn't answer. The three stayed in silence for a few minutes, until the last customer of the evening got out of the Pub. Then, all of a sudden, Celeste's eyes opened widely, with visibly dilated pupils.

Malcolm's eyes widened in horror. He couldn't, no matter how hard he tried, look away.

"I sense darkness inside this soul!" Celeste roared in a hissing voice. "Death and misery are old companions of this boy's past!"

Malcolm looked at her, horrified, and turned to Caroline. "What the hell's going on?!"

Caroline shook her head, looking as appalled as him. Malcolm could swear he had seen some things around moving on their own.

"Tragedy and danger are in this boy's future, but brightness is yet to come!" Celeste continued. "Blood will be shed, but a rainbow will rise!"

Some plates flew across the Pub from a table, impacting on the walls. Utensils fell to the floor, and several cups exploded. The door burst open and the wind entered with the speed of a hurricane.

"Beware of the sons of the Achaeans, prepare for the war!"

Suddenly, the wind stopped, and Celeste closed and opened her eyes, letting go of Malcolm with a gasp. All had happened so quickly, but it had seemed endless.

Celeste was panting. Caroline got her some water, and Malcolm was staring at her.

"Here" said Caroline as her friend drank.

Malcolm didn't move. "That was, uh... Wow".

"I apologize" said Celeste. "This was definitely not my intention. But what did the spirit tell you?"

"Spirit?"

"Oh, dear boy" she said. "I certainly have to explain myself now".

"Yeah, um" he replied, starting to move towards the door. "This definitely has been something, uh, new, but there's somewhere I gotta be. But, let's talk about this soon".

"I understand" said Celeste. "I apologize again if this has disturbed you".

Malcolm nodded, and left.

Caroline, having seated again, sighed as she looked around. "I'll call Roman and see if he can get me new porcelain".

* * *

Chad entered the living room of the mansion in a rush, exhaling sharply. He gripped the edge of the couch as Johnny, Allie and Sydney entered running too, followed by Abigail, who was carrying an equally excited Thomas.

As the kids started jumping on the couch and running around, Abby grabbed Chad by the sleeve of his shirt and dragged him aside.

"You know" she hissed, as she caressed Thomas's back. "When I agreed to look after my cousins with you I  _did not_ expect this, this, chaos!"

"Hey, it's not that bad" he defended. He flinched, however, when he heard a vase fall to the floor, fortunately not breaking, but making a dry sound with the impact.

Abby was fuming by that moment. "You better put a stop to all of this". She passed Thomas to Chad and left the room.

Chad sighed as the kids laughed while running and his son giggled. "Ok, then, little man. We better not piss off mommy or she won't talk to daddy for a week".

He cleared his throat. "Alright, kids, I got an X-box upstairs with, oh, what a coincidence, three controls! I'll let you play with it  _if_ you help me set it up!"

The kids cheered and ran upstairs, chanting "Uncle Chad is the best!"

He shook his head and headed to the stairs, when the bell rang.

_"Hm, who might it be at this hour?"_ he thought.

"Abby, help the kids with the console!" he called, and went to open the door. "Malcolm".

Having rushed from the Pub after that creepy encounter with Celeste, Malcolm was indeed outside the mansion. "Hey, man". He looked at Thomas in Chad's arms. "Hey, little man".

"Hi" Chad replied, stepping aside and letting him in. "What's up?"

Malcolm exhaled, turning around to face him, eye-widened. "A lot". He heard a few noises upstairs. "This a bad time? You busy?"

Chad glanced upstairs.

"No one's getting pop corn if you keep fighting!" he heard Abby yell. He just shrugged and grinned. "Nothing Abby can't take care of".

He signaled Malcolm to follow him to the living room. "So, what happened? What's going on?"

"Just getting over the weirdest 72 hours of this week" he deadpanned, as they sat on the couch.

"Why's that?"

Malcolm made a face. "I met my great-grandparents two nights ago".

Chad raised an eyebrow. "You mean, you visited their graves?"

Malcolm shook his head. "Call me crazy, but they appeared in the middle of my living room around this hour the day before yesterday".

Chad stared at him for a few seconds before chuckling. "Ok, man, whatever you're taking, leave it. Wouldn't wanna ruin that brain of yours".

"I'm not using drugs!" Malcolm exclaimed. "I'm totally serious!"

"Man, you're telling me you saw Tom and Alice Horton's ghosts in your flat" he said. "One doesn't simply believe in these kind of things".

"You don't believe me".

"I'm just saying, it's not like this happens everyday".

"And that's not the end of it" he lamented. "Do you happen to know a woman called Celeste Perrault?".

"Yes, I do" he replied. "She was the mother of my late sister Lexie. She is a 'psychic' or something like that".

"You believe in what she does?"

"Not really, no. I'm not an atheist, I know that spirits exist, but I'm not supersticious either. I don't think she sees the future or that spirits just happen to tell her. You're the one who builds your own future, that's what I believe".

"Cool" said Malcolm. "I met her like half an hour ago. Caroline Brady was there too. We were just talking, and all of a sudden she grabs my wrist, her voice changes and starts saying these 'prophetic' stuff while things fly all over the place. When she finally comes to, all she asks is what the spirit told me. Man, she had been possesed, what the hell!"

Chad covered Thomas's ears, speechless. "Ok, that's something". He got up, and put his baby in his playpen, and returned to the couch. "Ok, I'll give you the benefit of the doubt. Now, what do I have to do with anything?"

"You've helped me trying to find this 'Bill Robin' person, haven't you?"

Chad nodded.

"Then I hope you keep helping me, because I'm now facing a bigger mystery".

Chad thought for a moment. Yes, he could help. Besides, it felt kind of exciting to be in this 'supernatural' mission. "Ok. Maybe I'll be of good use. And what did Celeste say? Or what did the spirit that 'possesed' her say?"

"Something about darkness on my past, present and future, nothing much" he replied, rolling his eyes. "No kidding. I did receive some sort of 'prophetical warning', though".

"What was it?"

Malcolm narrowed his eyes, trying to remember. "Blood will be shed, but a rainbow will rise. Beware of the sons of the Achaeans, prepare for the war".

"Huh" said Chad. "Now that's interesting. But a little simple. Considering circumstances, it's quite obvious what she's talking about".

"Meaning?".

"The Achaeans were people of great influence in the Ancient Greece" he replied. "Whether she referred to the Homeric Achaeans or the historic Achaeans, it's the same country we're talking about".

"Greece".

"That's right. And who are our favorite Greeks?"

Malcolm rolled his eyes again. "The Kiriakises".

"Makes perfect sense" Chad resolved. "Now, what she must have meant with the blood about to be shed is that people involved will die. The 'rainbow' she mentioned must mean that there will be peace in the end".

"Makes sense too" said Malcolm. "In the Biblie, after the flood, God made a rainbow in the sky for Noah and his family, sealing a pact of peace between Him and mankind".

"Ok, then. That solves Celeste's premonition" Chad grinned.

Malcolm raised an eyebrow. "You seemed quite excited. I thought you didn't believe in this things".

"This is some exciting adventure I'm not planning to miss" he shrugged. "Now, your great-grandparents. You say they appeared in the middle of your apartment".

Malcolm nodded. "I still need to figure out if I was awake or dreaming when it happened. It all was way too real to be just my imagination".

"What did they say?" Chad asked, now really interested.

"That our family was incomplete" he replied. "That I was the only one capable of doing something because everyone else just wouldn't believe".

"So, they just came to tell you someone from your family is missing" said chad.

"It's bigger than that" said Malcolm. "They said all the Horton family thinks this person is dead, so they won't do anything to find them".

Chad exhaled. "Now that's messed up". He stood up and poured himself some scotch as he checked on Thomas, who was playing with his teddy bear in his playpen.

"Did they tell you anything else? Because, you know, what you've told me is practically useless".

"They did, actually" he said. "Some kind of a riddle".

"Oooh, now I'm intrigued" Chad grinned. "Say it".

Malcolm took a breath. "The third monarch of the resurrected son of Rome is the missing piece in our puzzle".

Chad stared at him for a moment. "I'm sorry, what?"

"I didn't get it either!" Malcolm complained. "I mean, what does a monarch have to do with Rome, and what does Rome have to do with my family? There hasn't been a king in Italy since 1946!"

"It said the resurrected son of Rome" Chad reasoned. "Do you think maybe that meant, I don't know, Jesus Christ?"

Malcolm stared at him.

"And about the monarch" Chad continued. "That must refer to the Pope, right? They used to be treated as the king of the Vatican or something like that. Maybe they were referring to the third Pope, your missing relative must share a name with him".

Malcolm raised an eyebrow. "There's no one in my family called Anacletus, Chad. I don't think that name is used anymore. Sadly, it doesn't work if we go backwards either. I haven't found anyone in my family tree called John Paul".

Chad nodded, left his glass on the table and sat on the couch again. "Then it doesn't have anything to do with the Church".

"Nope" said Malcolm. "Though it was a very good idea to start". He checked his watch. "I gotta go. I'll be back though. I think were doing great for being our first day investigating".

"If you call a random session of brainstorming investigating" chuckled Chad, getting up and leading him to the door. "This has been fun, we should do this more often".

"Definitely" he replied. "You know, I'm starting to think that, if we put together Celeste's premonition about the Kiriakises, my great-grandparent's riddle and 'Bill Robin's letter, we could be facing something really interesting".

"What do you mean?"

"I'm starting to think 'Bill Robin', whoever he is and whatever his real name is, is my missing relative" he confessed.

"Wouldn't that be an amazing coincidence" Chad mused. "Well, if that turns out to be the case, just call me".

"Will do" he replied.

"Alright then, I'll see if Sami's kids are doing well" he said. But as in cue, he heard Abigail speak upstairs.

"Oh my God".

Malcolm frowned. "Wonder what's that about".

"Oh my God!"

"Do you think something has happened?" asked Chad.

"OH MY GOD!"

Both men's eyes widened.

"Something  _has_ happened" said Malcolm.

Chad, in a heartbeat, rushed to the living room, picked up Thomas and ran upstairs.

"See you, Thomas!" Malcolm called, getting out and closing the door behind him.

* * *

Celeste was helping Caroline clean up the mess her 'possesion' caused.

"I'm truly sorry again for what has happened" she said.

"Oh, don't worry about it" said Caroline. "On the bright side, this has given me the perfect excuse to renew everything in the Pub. I can't keep serving food on the same plates for years".

Celeste nodded. "I must confess, I was not expecting the spirit to come tonight. This must have been a very urgent situation. The spirits must have been eager to speak to the boy".

"And why would they want to talk to him so bad?" wondered Caroline. "He's just a boy, what can he do for a spirit?"

"I don't know" she replied. "But the minute I touched him, I felt these vibes... He's been through tragedy and disgrace, Caroline. He still is. The boy is in great danger".

"Oh" Caroline said, turning around, cleaning a table. "You used to say that a lot about us some years ago".

"But you were" she insisted. "I can't deny my warnings were very frequent during that terrible time of the Salem Stalker, but you can't deny that I was right in the end. And now, there's this war between the families. I know the boy is somehow involved".

"What would a boy his age have to do with the war?" asked Caroline, turning to her.

Celeste shook his head. "I don't know. And I don't think I want to know either. This is not the reason I came here".

"Oh, you're right, you're right" said Caroline, leaving the cloth she used to clean the table aside and joining her on another one. "My dreams".

"Have they been very frequent?" asked Celeste.

"They were" she replied. "Until a few weeks ago. Some nights I have it, some other I don't".

"What are they about?"

"Something strange" said Caroline. "All I see is a door, which has a small window. It's very foggy, in and outside the room this door hides. And then, I see this shadow of a hand, hitting the window and falling, like it's losing the strenght".

Celeste nodded. "That's it?"

"I'm always so close to go and open the door" Caroline lamented. "But when I'm about to, I wake up".

"Must mean something, it definitely means something" she said. "How long have you been having these dreams?"

"A few months" replied Caroline. "At first I thought it would be like any other dream. That I would have a new one the next night. And it was like that. And then I had it like a month later. I honestly didn't give it too much importance. But I started worrying when I noticed that I had been having the same dream for a week".

"Did you speak to anyone about this?"

"Yes, I did. Lucas. He called you two days ago".

"Oh, right".

"He had had a dream, too, one night, when he had to have surgery due to this vicious attack he suffered last year. He dreamt of his late grandparents, they told him his late son was not with them. I knew that was enough for him to believe me".

Celeste frowned. "You're saying, Lucas Horton's late son wasn't with Tom and Alice?"

"That's what they said, apparently" she explained. "But, it couldn't be true, right? I mean, we're talking about my great-grandson, he was an amazing young man, and regardless of his sexual orientation, which I believe doesn't have anything to do with our faith, there's no way he could be in hell. It was only a dream, right?".

Celeste looked doubtful. Lucas's dream could have been an actual experience. But he was still under anesthesia, or what was left of it in his system. He could have been hallucinating.

But then again, this was her area of experience. Not being sure, she could only give one answer.

"Yes. Yes, it was".

* * *

Sami took the now empty plates to the kitchen. "Well, wasn't this nice?"

_"Totally awkward"_ thought Lucas. "Yes, Sami. The food was amazing".

"Delicious as always, sweetheart" said EJ.  _"When is Lucas leaving, by the way?"_

"Good" grinned Sami. "See how easy it was to get through dinner together? Now I really hope you two can get along from now on".

"I think it's doable" said Lucas, staring at EJ with a fake smile.

"Me too" said EJ, doing the same.

"Great" said Sami, grabbing more plates. "I'm gonna take these to the sink, be right back".

Once she left, Lucas leaned on the table.

"You better not think we're gonna be best buddies from now on" he hissed.

"Not for one second" EJ replied. "But I'm willing to do this only because I love Samantha".

"Same here" said Lucas.

"Look" he said. "On normal circumstances, I would fake a friendship with you just make her happy. But we both know how Samantha is. So, I'm proposing that we actually  _try_  being, well, mates".

Lucas narrowed his eyes. "Is that so?"

EJ smirked. "I truly believe that, when the time is right, we'll be of good use to one another".

"So you're saying you want to be friends with me because that way you'll be able to ask me for favors in the future" he said.

"Let me remind you that this will work both ways" he replied. He offered his hand. "So, Sami is happy, and we'll both have someone to count on for a certain circumstance. Everybody wins. What do you say?"

Lucas stared at him for a moment, thinking about it. Then, he took and shook EJ's hand. "Alright, 'mate'".

* * *

Malcolm entered the chapel later that night. It wasn't empty, but the people who were there were few, for the mass was still going to start in half an hour or so.

He slowly went and sat on one of the benches, slowly thinking about his last hours. He looked to his side, at the confessional, and saw that the little lamp above it was on, indicating that the priest was there. He got up and entered.

He kneeled down inside. He could see Father Louis's shadow behind the latticed opening.

"Bless me Father, for I have sinned" he said. "It's been some months since my last confession".

"What are your sins, son?" Father Louis asked.

Malcolm made his confession, and Father Louis absolved him and gave him his penance.

"Father?" Malcolm said, once his confession was over.

"Yes, son?"

"There something I need to speak to you".

"Tell me".

"Father" he said, breathing in and out. "Do you believe in appearances?"

That got Father Louis's attention. "Appearances?"

"Yes, Father" said Malcolm. "Appearances".

"Well, there had been cases" Father Louis replied. "Saints have appeared to many people. The most famous cases are, of course, of Virgin Mary".

"No, Father, no" Malcolm shook his head. "I mean appearances from ordinary people. People who have sinned. Aren't we all sinners anyway?"

"Saints are sinners like us". Father Louis frowned. "Son, have you had an apparitional experience?"

"Yes, Father" he replied. "Two people appeared to me two days ago. I believe you knew them. Tom and Alice Horton".

Father Louis was incredulous. But he knew. He knew. "I may have heard of one or two cases of appearances of 'ordinary' people. But this is more often dreaming".

"So it was real?" Malcolm asked.

Father Louis nodded, even though Malcolm couldn't see him. "Yes, son. Sometimes a soul comes back to help their loved ones. Like saints often do. After all, one of our goals is to reach sanctity to be next to God in the new life he promised".

Malcolm was amazed. He had truly seen his great-grandparents. His mission was real. "Thanks, Father. I think I have the confirmation I needed".

"Go in peace, son" said Father Louis. "But you must tell me one day about this experience".

"Ok" said Malcolm, getting out of the confessional.

He went and said his prayers he had as penance, crossed himself and went out.

However, as he got out, he bumped into someone. He stepped back. "Mr DiMera".

Stefano rubbed his coat. "Mr Horton, what a surprise".

Malcolm raised his eyebrows. "I'm surprised you haven't forgotten my new last name, considering I changed it recently".

Stefano chuckled. "Oh, please, kid. I may be old, but there are some things I still can do".

"I heard you were on a trip" he said.

"A long trip, I must say" said Stefano. "The car is fast, sure, but the distance is still too long".

"You didn't go on a plane?"

"No, my doctors have said that I wouldn't resist the journey. It seems to me I am truly in my last years".

"Wow" said Malcolm, feeling bad for the guy. "I'm sorry".

"Don't be" Stefano dismissed. "I'm grateful I'll have my family by my side when the time comes".

Malcolm nodded. "I bet you would have wanted to visit your birthplace one last time".

"Oh no" he replied. "Tuscany is nice, but I haven't been there in decades". He started walking to the entrance of the church. "I have not even been in Rome in years".

Malcolm saw him get into the church, and started to walk home. But suddenly, he stopped dead on his tracks, eye-widened.  _"Did he say... Rome?"_

Could that mean...? It was up to him to find out.

He took out his phone and texted Chad.

_"Believe it or not, I may have found a new lead. Meet me tomorrow"._


	17. Chapter 17

The next day, Chad rushed into the hallway where Malcolm's apartment was located. He didn't have to knock. As soon as he lifted his arm, the door opened, and Malcolm pulled him inside.

"Hey, I got your text" he said.

Malcolm looked outside. "Did anyone follow you?"

"No one" he replied.

Malcolm nodded and closed the door. "Good".

"So" said Chad, rubbing his hands together. "What's this lead about? The missing Horton or 'Bill Robin'?"

"The first one" he replied.

"Alright" he said, excited. "How? Who talked?"

"I called you because you'll never believe it" said Malcolm. "It was Stefano".

Chad blinked twice. "Father? Are you serious?"

"Dead serious, no pun intended" he said. "I ran into him at the church last night. He said something about not being in Rome. He's Italian, isn't he?"

Chad shrugged. "So? What does that have to do with...?"

"The riddle, Chad!" Malcolm said impatiently. "My great-grandparents knew who Stefano was, from what I've read. Rome is the capital of Italy!"

Chad raised an eyebrow. "Ok, let's say Tom Horton was talking about him. What else? You do know he's from Tuscany, don't you?"

Malcolm opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came to his mind. "I... Did not know that."

Chad chuckled. "How about some investigating? Let's say my father is the metaphoric Rome. What now?"

Malcolm groaned. "Ugh, fine! I'll look into it. Now, this one's easier. The resurrected son of Rome".

Chad laughed. "I can't believe it. EJ? Seriously?"

"He's back from the dead, isn't he?" Malcolm shrugged.

"The third monarch of the resurrected son..." said Chad. "Neither Italy nor the USA have king".

Malcolm thought for a moment. "Isn't EJ British?"

"Oh". Chad also thought. "Oh!"

"Alright. The third monarch of England it is" said Malcolm. "I have no clue of who was the third king of England but whoever he was must have had some weird medieval name, so we can discard it. Let's go backwards, then".

"The actual queen of England is Elizabeth II" said Chad, pacing around the room. "If we go backwards, we have her father George VI, and her uncle Edward VIII".

"And of course I don't have a dead relative with that name, dammit!" Malcolm cursed. "And if we go more backwards?"

"George V and Edward VII".

"And if we skip three generations forward from the Queen?"

"Another George".

"Oh, come on!" Malcolm groaned in annoyance.

Chad rubbed his chin. "Ok, how about this? EJ, God willing, still has several years left of his life. During that time, Queen Elizabeth, monarch number one, will eventually die, and her son Charles will most likely be crowned. Monarch number two".

Malcolm nodded, getting Chad's point. "And monarch number three would be Queen Elizabeth's grandson, William..." He froze. "Oh".

He glanced at Chad, whose expression matched Malcolm's perfecly.

"Chad" he said. "I have a dead brother with that name".

* * *

"Wake me up inside, call my name and save me from the dark..."

Gabi walked through the square, singing along to the music playing on her earbuds, as she carried Ari in her stroller.

"Save me from the nothing I've become..."

Ari hummed along (or tried to, since she didn't know the song), when Gabi bumped into Sami and Lucas.

"Oh, hey guys" she said, taking her earbuds out.

"Hi, Gabi" greeted Sami. She leaned down to greet Ari. "And how's my sweet little girl, huh?"

Ari smiled and made grabby hands. With Gabi's permission, Sami picked her up.

"How are you doing, Gabi?" asked Lucas, after pampering his grandaughter.

"I'm doing well" she replied. "And you? Where are you headed?"

"Oh, um" said Sami, sharing a glance with Lucas. "We were going to the cemetery, to visit our son, you know? It's been a while since the last time".

"Yeah, you're free to join us if you want" said Lucas.

"Yes, of course!" she said. "Besides, I think Ari would love to go". She looked at her daughter. "Isn't that right, sweetheart? You wanna go visit Daddy? Yeah?"

Ari nodded with a smile on her face.

"Alright then" said Sami, kissing Ari's cheek, and starting to walk, talking to her. "First, we're gonna buy some flowers, huh? How 'bout that? And they have to be of many colors, like red and yellow and..."

Gabi got the stroller ready, while Lucas stood next to her.

"You know" said Lucas. "Being with Ari has really helped Sami. It wasn't too long ago when she would break down only mentioning Will".

"I get it" said Gabi. "The same was with Ari, you know? She would cry for him for days. And Sonny wasn't here either. I had to do whatever it took to calm her".

Lucas nodded, as they both walked behing Sami. "Then let's make sure she knows she'll always have her family".

* * *

Chad approached the window, looking outside. His best friend could be alive. There were a lot of reasons why that couldn't be possible. Will was buried, he had been seen in the morgue by his parents.

Unless he wasn't. He had seen this happen before. He had read and heard the stories. Doppelgangers, stolen and revived bodies...

Of course it would be embarrasing that he spent the past years talking to an empty grave, or one ocuppied by someone else.

"You ok?" asked Malcolm.

"Um, yeah, yeah, I am" he replied, clearing his throat. "Just... Not used to being told that my deceased friend could not be deceased after all".

"I'm sorry" he said. "I didn't mean to upset you".

"It's ok" he replied. "It's just a theory, right?"

"Of course".

Chad exhaled and dropped himself on the couch. "Any other ideas?"

"Well, technically EJ was never dead, so it could be anyone else the riddle was about" Malcolm suggested. "I'll keep it in mind, though. Now, 'Bill Robin'. All we got is that Deimos Kiriakis is holding him prisoner".

"I'm surprised you haven't questioned the guy about it" Chad mused.

Malcolm rolled his eyes. "I've been keeping my distance from the Kiriakises. I don't know what they're plotting against me and I  _can't_ afford to be ambushed and killed right now".

"Oh, Malcolm, are you afraid?" Chad teased.

"I'm not afraid" he said, narrowing his eyes. "Just being cautious".

"Right" he chuckled. "What's the plan, then?"

Malcolm thought for a moment. "I gotta question him. I highly doubt he'll say anything, but I pressure enough he might slip even the smallest deatail that could help us".

"You could always drag him to the Brady Pub" Chad suggested.

"Oh, please, like Deimos will agree" Malcolm said. "It's gotta be somewhere public, where he knows he can't do anything. The square, maybe".

"And how exactly will you make him go there?"

"Hmmm". Malcolm sat on a chair next to the table. "A fake meeting?"

"Old trick" Chad commented. "But it could work".

He got up. "Well, I should get going. I got somewhere to be".

"Sure".

Chad went to the door, Malcolm stopped him. "Wait, before you leave..."

Malcolm took out a paper and gave it to him. "This is a copy of the letter I found in Deimos's drawer. I'd like you to read it. Maybe you'll see something I haven't".

"You got it".

Chad left, and Malcolm took out his phone and dialed the Kiriakis Mansion.

* * *

Deimos read the newspaper while sitting on a couch in the living room of the mansion. The headlines didn't show anything interesting for him that day.

_MAJOR DISASTER AT BRADY PUB_

_Customers found themselves astonished when they arrived to the Pub last night at dinner time and the place had been desolated and practically destroyed inside. Caroline Brady, the owner, blames the heavy winds of this winter._

"That woman  _needs_ to retire" he muttered.

"Who needs to retire?" asked Victor, as he walked into the living room.

Deimos smirked, folded the newspaper and got up, as he went to pour himself some scotch. "Ms Brady seems to have blamed the weather for turning her Pub into a collosal mess".

Victor frowned. "Caroline?"

"I wonder what's next, a fire there and she'll blame it on the sun" Deimos continued, drinking.

"If you're implying..."

"Ah, I'm just saying" he dismissed. "No need to raise your blood pressure by getting grumpy more than usual".

"You know how deep I care about her" he said. "Do not talk about her that way".

Deimos rolled his eyes. "Fine, whatever". The phone rang and he sighed. "And that's my cue to stop being an ass, isn't it?".

He walked past Victor and picked it up. "Deimos Kiriakis".

_"Ah, good, you're home"._

Deimos frowned. "I'm sorry?"

_"Ah, don't be yet. But trust me, you will be soon"._

Deimos rolled his eyes again. "Agent Horton".

_"It's nice to know your formality with which you talk to me hasn't been forgotten"_ Malcolm smirked.

Deimos pinched the bridge of his nose. "What do you want?"

_"An audience"_ Malcolm replied.  _"Today, right now"._

Deimos raised an eyebrow and glanced at his curious brother. "An 'audience'?"

Victor raised his eyebrows too.

Deimos smirked. "Alright then. Let's meet..."

_"Oh, no, Deimos"_ interrupted Malcolm.  _"I'll take care of the location. Horton Town Square, half hour. I'll be expecting you"._

"Quite an open space, isn't it?" he said. "I thought you'd prefer the privacy we could have at the mansion".

_"I have no issues with other people overhearing us, since there's nothing 'illegal' to talk about"_ he replied.  _"Of course, I can't think anyone who would have the slightest interest in our conversation. Not to mention I believe we could have some coffee"._

"Coffee? This early?" chuckled Deimos.

_"Or brandy, tea, lemonade, whatever"._

Deimos huffed. "And if I decline you 'invitation'?"

_"Oh, you'll come"_ said Malcolm.  _"Or else"._ He hung up without waiting for an answer.

Deimos glanced at the phone before hanging up too.

"So, an 'audience', he said. "What do you think, brother?"

"That kid is definitely up to something" said Victor. "A meeting in such a public place like the square obviously means he's making sure you won't try to do anything against him".

"I'm not scared" said Deimos. "We both know I don't have to be the one pulling the trigger. A little 'accident' or some retaliation by an old enemy... He works for the CIA, he's got to have some somewhere".

"Put a hit on him and blame it on some old enemy" Victor said. "Quite a  _cliché_ if you ask me. But it could work".

"I'll make a few calls" said Deimos, taking out his cellphone and heading out. "Poor agent Horton won't know what hit him".

* * *

Celeste watched TV in her hotel room, when her phone rang.

"Yes?"

_"Um, hi, am I talking to Celeste Perrault?"_

"Yes, who is this?"

_"This is Malcolm Horton. Ms Caroline Brady introduced us yesterday. I've had the urge to call you and she gave me your number"._

"Oh, of course" she said. "I would like to apologize first for what happened. I did not mean to call the spirit".

_"Oh, no, that's exactly why I'm calling!"_ said Malcolm.  _"I was wondering if we could have a meeting. I've been thinking and I must speak to that spirit again"._

"Oh, my dear boy, that is not how it works" Celeste said. "But we could try to contact it. I am at the Salem Inn".

_"Good. Make sure to send me the information and I'll reach you in an hour or two. There's something I gotta take care of first"._

Malcolm hung up, and Celeste returned to the TV. She remembered the kid had freaked out when the spirit came. Now all of a sudden he wanted to talk to it?

_"My, my"_ she thought. " _What is going on in this boy's mind?"_

* * *

Sami carried Ari, while Lucas had a bouquet of flowers in his arms. Gabi pushed Ari's empty stroller. The trio walked through the graves, crossing themselves as they passed the tombs of other people they had held very dearly.

Once they reached Will's grave, Sami knelt down, and sat with Ari on the ground, while Lucas placed the flowers over the stone.

Sami caressed the stone, as Ari took one flower and inhaled. "My sweet boy. Look who's here".

She grabbed Ari. "Say hi to Daddy, sweetie".

Ari placed her hands on the stone and muttered a little "Hi" before running towards Gabi.

Both Lucas and Sami prayed next to the stone, Gabi remaint standing, holding Ari.

After a few minutes, they got up.

"Well" said Lucas. "I think we..."

"Hey" said Chad, as he ran towards them. He caught his breath. "I wasn't expecting to see you guys here".

"Neither were we" Sami replied. "You came to see him too?"

"Yeah" he said, greeting Gabi and then Ari by patting her head. "You know, um, it's been a while since the last time I came".

"Of course" she said.

"We were just heading out" said Lucas. "You could stay a few minutes and then join us if you like".

"Um, no, that's ok" he replied. "You guys, go ahead, I'll... I'll stay".

Lucas nodded. "Alright then".

He, Sami and Gabi left, taking Arianna with them. Chad waited until they were out of sight. Once they were, he sighed, and kneeled down, contemplating the stone.

* * *

Deimos walked through the square, looking for Malcolm, who was expecting him in one of the tables outside, eating a piece of cheesecake.

Deimos smirked as he approached.

"Well, well, well" he said, opening his arms. "Aren't you smart? You chose here to make sure I wouldn't do anything in public, didn't you?"

"I just like the food here" he said innocently. "Of you can't do anything then that's a happy accident for me".

Deimos sat across him. "Fine. What's this meeting about?"

Malcolm gave him a smirk. "Do you happen to know anyone by the name of 'Bill Robin'?"

Something in Deimos's face changed. He knew the name, indeed, but he hadn't thought about it in quite some time. "Who told you about him?"

"So you do know him" said Malcolm, grinning triumphantly. He took out the letter. "Some days ago, I happened to find a very interesting letter addressed to you. Since it was open, I figured you had already read it, so I decided to check it out".

"I don't know what you're talking about" Deimos lied. "And even if I did, I wouldn't tell you a thing".

"Then there wouldn't be a way to tell if you lie or not" he said. "But that's alright". He read the paper out loud.

By the time he finished, Deimos was red.

Malcolm smirked. "Do you happen to recognize these words?"

"No" he said through gritted teeth.

"You could try telling that to your face" he said, pointing at him with his fork. "But like pictures, a simple gesture can tell more than a thousand words".

Deimos breathed in and out. "Look, I don't know where you got that, but I've never seen that paper. I don't even know who the hell 'Bill Robin' is".

"But that contradicts your first reaction to the name" insisted Malcolm. "Not to mention this thing was in your drawer".

Deimos smirked when he saw a red dot appearing on a wall and moving to Malcolm's forehead, without him noticing. "And what were you doing snooping through my things?"

"Oh, it wasn't me" he replied. "Someone did me the favor. Which reminds me, I still owe him for that".

Deimos scoffed. "Of course, I should have known. Sonny is now conspiring with the little agent to take me down once again".

Malcolm chuckled. "Sonny? You got some sense of humour if you think we could work together. I don't even stand the guy! I highly doubt he stands me either".

"Paul then" smirked Deimos.

"You could keep guessing, but I won't tell you who is it" Malcolm evaded. "The thing is, I'm onto you, Deimos. I'll prove you're behind this".

Deimos just nodded.

But Malcolm raised an eyebrow. "And don't think for a moment I don't know why you're smirking so much".

All of a sudden, Malcolm threw the table against Deimos, and dropped himself to the floor, just as a shot was heard by the entire square and a bullet impacted on the wall that had been behind him.

Deimos fell to the floor, as everyone in the square panicked and screamed and ran in all directions.

Meanwhile, in a heartbeat, Malcolm was already shielding himself with the table and had taken his gun out. "You actually thought I wouldn't notice you had a sniper pointing at me?"

"I don't know what you're talking about!" Deimos lied again.

Malcolm saw another table that had been dropped on a side, and threw himself towards it. He got it and shielded himself again. "I just figured, since you're not the only one looking for a safe place!"

"Oh please, this is nothing'" he dismissed, looking around to make sure his sniper was gone. "This used to happen all the time in my town!"

Having received no answer, he glanced at the table where he had seen Malcolm. No one was there anymore. He cursed.

"Son of a bitch".

* * *

Chad huffed a little laugh, sitting on the grass next to the stone. "You know, it's the weirdest thing. There's a chance you're not actually down there and I'm here talking to myself like a total nutjob. That would be really embarrasing though, I've been coming for several months already and you haven't said anything, that's cruel".

He rolled his eyes. "Of course you don't say anything-I'm talking to a grave, for God's sake. See? You're already making me talk crazy".

"Unless you're not here. I must confess, you don't know how happy I would be. I'd get a chance to apologize for my poor friendship, probably try to fix it. You, Sonny and Arianna were really important to me, you know?"

He smiled. "Ari still is. She and Thomas are really good friends, you know? Of course you should know by know how complicated things have gotten with Sonny. I don't hate him though. I know you wouldn't like that. And now you got a new brother. He's a good guy, let me tell you. I think you'd like him".

Chad sighed, and took out the letter Malcolm had given him. "Maybe you'd like to help me with this thing. 'Bill Robin'. Quite a name. It has like a... Spark".

He stood up and glanced at his friend's stone.

_WILLIAM ROBERT HORTON_

_November 16th 1992 - October 9th 2015_

Chad contemplated it for a moment. Suddenly, he frowned. Bill Robin. Will Robin. William Robin. William Rob. William Robert. William Robert Horton.

"Oh my God" he muttered in shock. "Now aren't you smart, my dear bro?"

* * *

Malcolm found the door of Celeste's hotel room open when he got to the Salem Inn.

He had sent Paul a text while getting there, by the way.

_"Beware. Deimos is onto you for the letter. Sorry about that. Be careful"._

"Sorry I came too early! I just evaded death once again, some shootout at the square..." He frowned as he looked around. "Who died?"

The lights of the room had been turned off, and lots of candles had been placed literally all over the room, and even though their light was weak, he could see and feel the myst inside.

"Oh, Mr Horton!" said Celeste, getting out of the bathroom. She had some strange objects in her hands. "I am sorry if this seems too extravagant, but it is probably going to be necesary for our ritual".

"Ritual?" he repeated.

"Of course!" she said, as she placed those things in place. "Last night, the spirtit came unannounced and without being called. We might have some luck trying to reach it, but there's a possibility it will come again on its own accord".

She signaled him to close the door. "Now, to call a spirit we must follow a ritual, for it is the way they are called, and all this place has been decorated to welcome them, for this is what they expect".

"Can they even see?" Malcolm frowned.

"Since I am who calls them, it is me who they possess" she replied. "They see through my eyes, feel through my hands, smell through my nose, taste through my tongue and hear with my ears. I'm just a host body they use to communicate with the person they want".

"And what happens to your soul?"

Celeste sighed happily. "That is the mysterious part. What I feel is nothing. From my point of view, it is like a blink. Do not worry about me. We must get ready. Follow me".

Celeste sat on a cushion on the floor, and signaled to Malcolm to sit across her on a similar cushion. He sat, looking around uncomfortably.

Celeste closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "We are ready".

She calmly and gently grabbed Malcolm's wrist and closed her eyes again.

There was another long silence between them, until, suddenly, Malcolm felt some vibrations. Those vibrations became strong sounds, and then he could see objects shaking violently.

_"It's happening again"_ he thought.

And then, the little flames of the candles suddenly became gigantic tongues of fire, high enough to touch the ceiling, but low enough not to burn it. Everything was shaking, and the enormous amount of fire that the candles expelled was so big it illuminated the whole room.

Malcolm observed wide-eyed everything, but Celeste remaint calm, with her eyes closed and a firm grip on Malcolm's wrist.

Then, she opened them. Only, they were entirely black. Words Malcolm couldn't understand came out of her mouth, as everything shook and trembled around them.

Finally, Celeste blinked, and the spirit talked, in a mix of a roar and a hiss. "I see you mortal have come to me this time. WHAT IT IS THAT YOU WANT?"

"What you said last night" said Malcolm, raising his voice so the spirit wouldn't believe he was scared. "I thought long and hard. I know who my enemies are. I know what my mission is about. I know the destiny I must fulfill".

"And what it is that you must fulfill?" asked the spirit.

"My brother" he replied. "My dead brother is presumably alive. And I gotta rescue him, don't I?"

"Ah!" said the spirit. "You know the treasure, but have you found it? Do you not,know that you must find the spot, open the chest and reveal it?"

"What?"

"THE SPOT!" insisted the spirit. "You know what you are looking for. You must find it! Find the treasure!"

"Wait" said Malcolm. "Does this mean... is my brother alive then?"

"HAHAHAHA!" laughed the spirit. "That is on you to discover! UNCOVER THE SECRET!"

A powerful wind emerged out of nowhere, and before Malcolm knew it, both Celeste and him were lying on the floor. Everything was calm, and back to normal. Actually, the room had ended as if nothing had happened there.

He was the first to come to, but Celeste didn't take too long after him.

"Well, that's some experience" he said.

Celeste slowly got up. "Did it work? Did the spirit come?"

Malcolm nodded. "It did".

"And did it tell you what you wanted to know?",

Malcolm sighed. "It did".

"Were its words what you wanted to hear?"

"I'm not sure" said Malcolm, shaking his head. "But it's gotta be the truth".

"I won't ask" said Celeste. "But I believe we will have to be in contact, for this is no game. If you need me, I'll be more than happy to help".

Malcolm nodded again. "Thank you. Is it ok if I leave?"

"Oh, of course!" she said. "I'll clean up".

Malcolm got out of the room. Once he was far away from Celeste's door, near the main hall, he called Chad.

Chad answered on the second ring.

_"Malcolm"_

"Chad, we got some business to do" said Malcolm.

" _What?"_

"Look, we might have gotten some great progress today" he said. "Deimos almost had me killed, by a sniper, but not before I figured he knew who 'Bill Robin' was. Then, I met Celeste. We called the same spirit from last night. It didn't say it out loud, but I know it has confirmed that my brother is the one my great-grandfather was talking about. It called him a 'treasure'".

On the other side of the phone, Chad rubbed his face.  _"Look, I got something else. Don't ask how, but I know this is true. I compared names. Malcolm, Will is 'Bill Robin', and he's very much alive"._

Malcolm closed his eyes. "I knew it. And how are you taking it? I know you held him bery dearly".

"I'll be ok" he said. "I'll actually be overjoyed if we confirm this 100%. But first, we gotta plan what to do next".

"Well, it's obvious" said Malcolm. "We got the confirmation theorically, now we need physical confirmation".

_"What do you mean?"_

Malcolm exhaled, for he dreaded what was yet to come. "A treasure's in a chest, and a chest under a spot. We must dig up my brother's grave".


	18. Chapter 18

"So, I'm guessing work's not too kind these days" Sami was commenting.

She, Lucas and Malcolm were at the Brady Pub having breakfast that morning, on Malcolm's request. He had said he wanted to talk to them, get to know more about his family, especially his deceased brother. That was crutial, because what he really wanted was their permission to exhume the coffin and prove his theory that he could be alive.

Only, he did not know how to bring up the subject.

"It's actually kind of smooth these days" he shrugged. "I'm actually doing some research now that there's not too much to do".

"Oooh" she said. "Something interesting?"

"It doesn't involve massacres and stuff like that, does it?" asked Lucas.

"No, not at all" he replied. "Well, it actually depends on the point of view".

"Meaning?" asked Sami.

"I'm looking into the Hortons history" he said. "Those who are gone, those who live. Especially those who are gone. My great-grandparents, uncles... Brother".

Both Sami and Lucas's smiles disappeared.

"Oh" she said. "I see".

"Is that ok?" Malcolm asked.

They exchanged glances before nodding.

"Yeah, of course" said Lucas. "What would you like to know?"

Malcolm took a breath. "Everything, I guess. I mean, I would have loved to meet him, for what I've heard, he seemed like a nice guy".

"He was the best" sighed Sami.

"So I'm in for a good story?" he asked.

"Yes" Lucas replied. He cleared his throat before starting. "It all started in 1992..."

* * *

Chad studied the letter while sitting on the couch in the living room. Thomas was sitting on his lap as well, looking at the paper with curiosity.

"I know you can't read, and probably even if I read it to you, you wouldn't understand, but this is exciting as hell" he was saying. "Deimos Kiriakis has had this guy prisoner for a long time, judging by the lack of date here".

Not that Thomas listened, though. He was too busy looking at the handwriting, before of course trying to snatch it away from his father's hands. Only, Chad wouldn't let him.

"Hey, that's mine" he softly scolded, lifting the letter up so Thomas wouldn't reach it. "I need it".

Seeing that he couldn't get it, Thomas pouted and his eyes watered.

Chad saw a temper tantrum coming, and, knowing Abby would kill him if the baby cried, quickly reached out for one of his son's toys, and put it in front of Thomas's eyes.

"But of course you can have this one. You like this don't you?"

Thomas's attention immediatly was on the toy, grabbing and shaking it. Chad secured him on his lap before going back to the letter.

Chad sighed. "And it turns out now your Uncle Will could be alive. Now wouldn't that be wonderful?"

Thomas glanced at him, not shaking the toy anymore.

Chad smiled at him. "It'd be amazing. You'll get to meet him after all".

The baby passed him the toy. Chad took it and put it on the floor. Thomas placed his little head on his dad's chest, as he rubbed his little back.

"Malcolm's gonna try to get Lucas and Sami's permission to dig up the grave" he continued. "Now, what would happen? They may not find a body at all. Classic. Just an empty coffin. Or worse, find his body lying there. I bet he'll feel he profaned his own brother's grave. I guess it's a risk he's gotta take".

He looked down and rolled his eyes. Thomas had fallen asleep.

"I hope you actually listen to me when you're older" he muttered. "I'll let this one pass because you're a baby and sleep a lot".

He stood up, and carried Thomas to his crib. "I guess I'll keep reading this paper in the meantime. When you wake up, we'll go out, how about that, huh?"

Thomas slept peacefully.

Chad smiled at him. "I love you, my sweet boy".

* * *

"Ok, why am I here?" asked Paul as he and Sonny sat at a table in the square.

Sonny shrugged with a smile. "Just wanted to see you, that's all".

Paul smiled at him. "Of course you did".

"Why are you so suspicious?" he asked jokingly.

Paul shrugged. "Well, it  _has_ been a while since the last time we went out together".

"I know, and I'm sorry. I've just been too busy with Titan and putting up with Deimos's so 'charming' personality".

"I get it. It's not that big of a deal, you know? I just hope you're being careful with that guy".

"Trust me, I am" said Sonny. "As for now, we better enjoy this morning while we can".

A waiter came with their breakfast.

Paul glanced at his plate and then at Sonny. "You got me eggs and bacon".

Sonny grinned. "I know it's your favorite".

"Well, thanks" he said, as they started to eat. "Mmm, 's good".

Sonny made a face. "Ew, close your mouth while you're chewing!"

Paul chuckled. "Sorry. Anyway, I have this charity event I was invited to and I'd like you to come with me".

"Oh, really?" he grinned. "Cool, when?"

"Uh, next Friday" he replied.

Sonny's grin fell. "Oh, but I promised Arianna I'd go with her to the zoo that day".

"Can't you change your plans?" he asked. "I mean, the zoo will always be there, but that event is only for that day. I'm sure she won't mind".

Sonny hesitated. He remembered the black box in his pocket. "Um, yeah, I think I can change that plan".

Paul grinned again. "Great. Now, you got a plan for this date. What is it?"

Sonny grinned too. "Oh, you'll have to wait for that, Mister".

He raised an eyebrow, interested. "Can't wait".

* * *

"...And so, Ari was born" Lucas said, after almost an hour.

Malcolm looked appalled. "Wow".

"I know" chuckled Sami. "Not the most conventional life, is it?"

"I can't deny he led a crazy life" he admitted, and turned to Lucas. "I admire you taking the fall for him shooting EJ, though. This is quite the story".

"We all have crazy stories here" said Lucas. "Sami here was once sentenced to death for a crime I committed".

Malcolm's mouth hung open. "No way".

Sami rolled her eyes "Oh God, don't remind me".

Malcolm chuckled. "I can't believe you guys were married at one point".

"It didn't last" she replied. "I left him to be with my one true love".

"Ouch" said Lucas. He frowned. "Weren't you blackmailed into marry him?"

"Shut up!"

"I don't think this is the place for a fight" said Malcolm, noticing a few other customers had turned to see them. "But then again, I wouldn't wanna be the one trying to stop you, so I guess I'm now torn between my physical integrity and my job to preserve order".

"Oh my god, I'm not that bad!" Sami complained. "Lucas, I'm not that bad, am I?"

Lucas looked away.

Sami gasped, offended, while Malcolm snickered.

"Anyway" Lucas said. "Will got married a year later".

"To Jackson" Malcolm guessed.

"Yes" he replied. "I was suprised, I must say. All the years prior he had been going on and on about how marriage was a terrible idea because of our, to be honest, lousy example".

"I gotta admit I had my suspicions too" said Sami. "Will had had reservations about the idea in the past, and accepting right away to Sonny's second proposal was not what I had expected. But it worked out the first months, so I decided I was wrong".

"Why was that?" Malcolm asked. "And what happened after those months?"

Sami shrugged. "I believe married life wasn't suitable for them after all. Sonny concentrated on work, Will did too, only he still had Ari as first priority since Gabi was still in prison".

"It was strange" said Lucas. "Will got a job at this magazine and all of a sudden he was already screwing us over. He wrote about Abigail, about his own mother, about EJ, Chad, etcetera".

"It was like he had had a full-on personality transplant" she said. "I mean, they were the most stable couple I had ever seen, and I think he knew that too despite all his insecurities, and then he started acting like I'd never seen him before. After EJ died, or well, we thought he had died, he went with me to California for a while. For what I've been told, he was changed when he came back".

_"Then maybe he wasn't abducted after his 'death'"_ thought Malcolm.  _"Maybe in California"._ He cleared his throat. "I read about what happened. You don't have to talk about that part if you don't want to. When did they get married?"

"April, 2014" Sami replied.

Lucas narrowed his eyes when he noticed a frown in his son's face. "Wait. That's your 'I'm having a storm of suspicions in my mind' face. You're thinking of something. What is it?"

"What?"

Sami looked at him too. "He's right. I know that look because I have it too from time to time. What are you thinking?"

Malcolm stared at both of them.  _"Busted"._

He sighed. "I gotta be honest. I  _did_ ask you to come here for a reason".

"And what is it?" asked Lucas.

"I don't know if you'll believe me or not" he said. "I guess that's up to you. But alright, I'll tell you".

He took a deep breath, deciding he'd say he had done everything for now. "The other day, I found a letter. Someone named 'Bill Robin' had addresed it to his captor, saying he was going to breakout one day. It was obvious he needed help, though. The thing is, I decided to get his profile, see if I could do anything. But big was my shock when I discovered that the guy did not exist. I made further investigation, with a little help of some 'friends'..."

He trailed off when he saw Sami's wide-eyed look on her face. Lucas turned to her too. He frowned. "Something wrong?"

Sami shook her head. "You said... 'Bill Robin'?"

Malcolm nodded hesitatingly, dreading her answer. "Yes... I did. But, like I said, the guy doesn't exist".

"No, he doesn't" she said, and took out her phone from her purse, looking desperately in her pictures.

"What are you doing?" Lucas asked.

"I know I have it somewhere..." she was saying. "Ah, there it is".

Sami showed her phone to Malcolm. It was a picture of a handwritten piece of paper. "What's that?"

"A few years ago" she said. "Will wrote a poem for a competition in school. It was good, but not for him. I persuaded him to send it. He won, by the way. But he felt too embarrased of it, so I suggested he could use a pseudonym instead of his name".

Malcolm's face fell. He zoomed the picture to see the signature below the poem. "Bill Robin".

He glanced at Sami.

She looked as if she was afraid to ask.

Lucas, stunned too, did it. "Did you get to the same conclusion?"

Malcolm slowly nodded. "I did".

Sami let out a little cry. "This is why you called us, isn't it?"

"Yes and no" he replied. "I called you because there's something else I need to do. You confirmed my theory. But I still need to see if I'm correct".

"Name it" said Lucas.

Malcolm breathed in and out again. "I need your permission to exhume the coffin of Will's grave, and make sure it's empty".

* * *

Chad had fallen asleep on the couch with the letter in his hand over his chest. In the crib, Thomas slept too. It was kind of an adorable scene, for father and son had the same expression while sleeping.

That was the scene Abigail found when she entered the living room. At first, she smiled. Then, she went to the couch and shook Chad's shoulder. When he didn't move, she shook him harder.

"Chad" she whispered.

Chad just snored.

So, Abigail shook him even harder. "Chad!"

Chad startled awake. "Ah! What? What is it?"

What Abby didn't think of was that with her calling her husband's name, she would end up waking her son too. The poor baby started crying loudly.

Abby rolled her eyes and groaned in annoyance. "See what you do? Ugh".

She picked up her whimpering baby and took him upstairs.

Chad rubbed his eyes and yawned. "Wha-What did I do?"

He blinked twice, realizing he was alone again. He shrugged, and leaned down to sleep again...

"No, you won't" said Abigail, shaking him again.

Chad looked up to see his arms-crossed not amused wife's expression.

* * *

"You want to dig up Will's grave?" asked Lucas.

"Only if you give me green light" Malcolm replied. "I know this is a serious request, but I need to do this in order to confirm what we all know it's true".

"But you're not even sure" said Sami. "What if you're wrong?"

Malcolm shook his head. "It's a risk I must take. I don't want to get your hopes up, but I needed you to consent this. That's why I told you this".

Sami thought about it. Her son could be alive and well, just like her husband, held captive by someone who was most likely trying to hurt their family. Unless he wasn't. And she knew she would give anything to have him back with her. But there was always the chance of everything going wrong.

Malcolm saw her internal debate, and tried to help with a small smile. "It's ok if you don't want to. I could find another way".

"No" she said, shaking her head. "Do it".

"Are you sure?" asked Lucas.

"Yes" she replied. "If that grave is actually empty then we need to know. Besides, that letter and our son's pseudonym... It's too much to be a coincidence".

She turned to Malcolm, her voice breaking. "I want you to exhume my son's coffin and verify he's not there".

Malcolm nodded in appreciation. "Thank you. I'll make some calls to do it right away".

He got up and went aside with his phone.

As soon as he was gone, Lucas took out his phone, too.

"What are you doing?" asked Sami.

Lucas stared at her as he placed his phone on his ear. "Calling Sonny. He was Will's husband after all, I believe he at least has a right to know what we're going to do".

"Oh, right, right" she said. She took out her phone too. "I'll text EJ and ask him to meet us at the cemetery".

Lucas waited for a few seconds, and then took his phone out of his ear. "Huh, how strange. I'll try again".

He dialed Sonny again, only to not receive an answer. "This is unusual. He always picks up the phone".

"Maybe he's just busy" suggested Sami.

"Maybe" he said.

Just in that moment, Malcolm came back. "The Mayor is on his way with the documents to be signed. What were you doing?"

"Just trying to reach Sonny" Lucas said, waving his phone. "And not having any luck".

Malcolm shrugged. "Maybe he's just busy".

"That's what I said" said Sami. "EJ will meet us there, if that's ok".

"Of course" he replied. "It doesn't matter, Lucas. Jackson must be busy with work, or with his man".

"Still" said Lucas. "I'll try to call him a few more times. though, while we wait".

* * *

Chad gave a nervous grin to his wife. "Well look at the beauty that bless my eyes today".

Abby, still with her arms crossed, rolled her eyes. "Get up, Chad. What kind of example are you giving our son, huh? Sleeping so early in the morning when there's such a beautiful day outside".

"He's a baby" Chad defended. "Babies are supposed to sleep all day".

"And wake us up in the middle of the night? No way" she replied. "He needs to exercise! You know, give strenght to his little muscles... And you could do some exercise while you're at it!"

Chad frowned. "Are you calling me fat?"

"No, but I will in a few months if you go for a sedentary life" she said.

"I eat healthy, thank you very much" he defended.

Abby gave him an unimpressed look. "You call "pizza Sundays" eating healthy?"

"You eat pizza with me too!"

"At least  _I_ go to the gym from time to time. You used to go all the time".

"That was when I had nothing else to do except studying and working in Common Grounds/TBD" he said. "If you didn't know, DiMera Enterprises requires more compromise from me".

Abby looked around. "Well, there are no documents here except for that little paper in your hand, not to mention I just caught you sleeping, so I guess nothing's stopping you".

Chad glanced at the letter in his hand.

"What's that anyway?" she asked.

"Uh, some letter, you know, from work" he lied.

"Am I allowed to know what it says?"

"No, sorry" he replied. "You know, confidentiality and that stuff".

Abby rolled her eyes. "Fine, whatever. You could at least go and read it with sunlight and fresh air. How about the park?"

"Why are we still talking about my health?"

"Because Thomas is awake upstairs playing with his stuffed little horse and he won't sleep again, so I need you to take him out!" she exclaimed.

Chad narrowed his eyes. "Then why don't  _you_ take him out?"

Abby put her hands on her hips. "Chad Michael DiMera, are you talking back to me?"

Something threatening in her face made Chad cower. "No, my love".

He quickly got up and ran upstairs to get Thomas.

* * *

Some time later, already past noon, Paul and Sonny were walking through the park.

"This has been nice so far" Paul was saying. "I literally can't remember the last time we've done this"

"I'm glad you liked it" said Sonny. "And you're right, we gotta do this more often".

They ended up glancing at each other, and Sonny kissed him.

"What was that for?" Paul asked.

Sonny shrugged. "Just felt like it".

"Liar" Paul chuckled. "You're up to something. What is it?"

"Nothing!" Sonny insisted. He felt his phone buzzing for what he felt was the hundredth time.

"You sure you don't want to answer?" asked Paul. "Someone's been calling you for the past hour, it could be urgent, maybe from work".

Sonny rolled his eyes and took out his phone to see who had called. "It's Lucas".

However, he ignored the call and put it in his pocket. "I'm pretty sure it can wait".

"Really?" he asked.

_"If I don't do this now, I'll never do it"_ Sonny thought. "I am".

"But what if it's about Ari?"

"He would have texted me. I'm pretty sure it's nothing worth my time".

Paul shrugged. "Alright then. Where were we? Oh, right, you're up to something".

"No, I'm not, God!" Sonny laughed.

His phone started buzzing again. Sonny groaned in annoyance, took out his phone, rejected the call and turned it off.

Meanwhile, after being literally kicked out of the mansion, Chad was carrying Thomas, walking through the park, when he saw them. He stood far away from them next to a big tree so they wouldn't see him, but close enough so he could hear them.

"Ok, what's going on?" asked Paul. "You look nervous, you've been ignoring these calls and for some reason all you're doing is gain time for whatever reason".

Sonny sighed. "Alright then. Paul, I didn't think I'd ever have the guts to do this again, but here I am. I got something to ask you".

He dropped on one knee, taking out his black box. "Will you marry me?"

Chad's mouth dropped open. Thomas patted his chin, making him go back to reality and close it. Thank goodness, Thomas knew when to keep quiet. He probably saw it as a game.

Paul was stunned. He shook his head to collect himself and say something.

"Is this... For real?"

"Yeah" he chuckled. "It is. It's like the last time".

"Right" he said. "You know, the last time you did this and I rejected you, I was a fool. And when I knew you were married I didn't care. I wanted you again".

"Sorry to interrupt but I'm not hearing an answer and my knee is starting to hurt".

Chad and Thomas both looked at the scene expectantly.

Paul grinned. "Fine. Yes, we'll marry".

Sonny stood up and leaned in for a kiss, but Paul hugged him instead. Not that he minded, though.

Chad's face was stern. He shook his head and walked away.

* * *

Malcolm, Lucas and Sami walked through the cemetery, in direction to Will's grave.

"You know, it's not necessary for you to be there" Malcolm said. "If this goes wrong, I wouldn't want to suffer for it".

"If it goes wrong, we would suffer anyway" said Lucas.

"We won't blame you" assured Sami. "I know you're just doing your job".

Malcolm nodded, starting to feel anxious.  _"But the spirit said I should find the chest of the treasure. I would know what to do then"._

When they got to the spot, EJ and a team from the mortuary was there, as well as two men with shovels.

EJ approached and greeted them. "We got here some minutes ago. Everyone's ready".

Malcolm nodded. "Thanks, EJ".

He approached the team of forensics. "So, what's the plan?"

"When the coffin is taken out, we will open it for verification of it still being there, like you requested" said one of them, presumably the leader. "We'll make a few quick tests, and the coffin will go back down".

"What will happen if the coffin turns out to be empty?"

"It will still go down again, but we'll make sure to contact the authorities for the removal of the coffin, the stone, and... Make this an available tomb again".

He nodded. "Good".

The leader handed him some masks. "You should use these. The smell won't be good at all".

Then, he approached his father and explained to him, Sami and EJ the procedure, and gave them the masks.

"Are you ok with this?"

Sami nodded. "We are".

EJ placed his hands on Sami's shoulders.

Lucas patted his shoulder. "Go for it".

Malcolm nodded. They put on the masks. Then, he approached the men with the shovels. "Proceed".

The men nodded.

First, they removed the stone, and placed it aside. Then, their shovels hit the ground. And the removal of dirt began.

Sami and Lucas looked expectantly as the pile of dirt and soil next to the hole the men dug grew bigger and bigger.

Several minutes passed. After a while, when suspense was already killing them, one of the shovels hit something down there.

"Got it, careful from now on!" he said to his partner.

They started removing the dirt slowlier, until the coffin was revealed. One of them climbed up the hole and returned with a two large tapes. They placed them under the coffin.

Then, they climbed up, so the two ends of each tape were up, and with the help of two forensics, they pulled.

Soon after, the coffin was up and placed on the ground next to the hole.

The leader of the forensics glanced at Malcolm.

Malcolm turned to Lucas and Sami, and she nodded at him encouragingly.

"Shall we?" the leader asked.

Malcolm approached, as the two worked finished taking out the nails of the coffin, and stepped aside.

Malcolm put his hands on it, sliding them on the edge. Taking a deep breath, he opened the coffin.

Suddenly, a hideous smell penetrated the air. Everyone turned away, coughing. Sami screamed. Malcolm looked at her and turned to the coffin.

His eyes widened.

Inside the coffin, a decomposed cadaver lied, wearing an already ruined black suit, and some blond hair still remaining on the visible skull.


	19. Chapter 19

Wide-eyed, Malcolm stared at the dead body inside the coffin.

"No" he muttered. "No, no, no, this can't be possible".

He turned around. Sami was weeping while EJ held her, and Lucas glanced at him. He just nodded in understanding.

"I'm sorry" said Malcolm.

Lucas approached him. "Are you ok?"

"What do you mean?" he asked. "I should be the one asking you that question. I was wrong. I was not expecting this to happen".

"I know. And I know you really meant well. Sami does too. It's just too much for her to see the body of her son in this condition. To be honest, it is for me too".

"I'm sorry" Malcolm repeated.

Lucas sighed. "We appreciate your efforts, Malcolm, we do. We'll take Sami home, and then we can talk, ok?"

Malcolm nodded, and the adults left, taking off the masks once they were really far away.

He stared at the cadaver, and clenched his fists in anger.  _"How can this be?"_

Suddenly, his phone rang. He answered with a sigh. "What?"

 _"Malcolm, it's me"_ said Chad.  _"Is it done? Did they exhume the coffin?"_

"They did" he replied. "It didn't end well".

_"What happened?"_

Malcolm exhaled. "The body's inside. The forensics will do some tests before reburying the coffin..."

_"What?"_

"Sir?" someone asked behind him.

Malcolm turned around. The leader of the forensics had called him.

"I'll call you later" he said, and hung up before Chad could say anything. "Yes?"

"Sir, we need to do the tests before reburying the body".

Malcolm just nodded. "Yeah, yeah, ok". He glanced at a bigger stone not too far away. "I'll just be over there. Call me before you close the coffin again".

"Yes sir".

Leaving the men to work, Malcolm headed towards the other grave. Once he was in front of it, he dropped himself on his knees, and looked at the names.

_THOMAS HORTON_

_1910 - June 21st 1994_

_ALICE HORTON_

_January 23rd 1911 - June 23rd 2010_

"How the hell did this happen?" he asked. "You told me what I had to do, I did everything. What went wrong?"

He put his hands on the ground, pulling some grass. "I don't get it. It all indicated that my brother was alive. You two said so, the spirit said so. Sami proved 'Bill Robin' was him".

He placed a hand on the stone. "Come on, I need an answer. You said I call you if I needed help. I guess what I'm doing right now is just that".

He waited for a few minutes.

When nothing happened, he sighed. "Fine, whatever. I'll keep searching".

He stood up, turned around and motioned to leave.

However, he turned to the stone again immediatly the second he felt a heavy wind hitting his back. No blinding light appeared this time. And there they were, surrounded by a shining halo, looking at him. Tom and Alice Horton once again were standing in front of him.

Malcolm stared at them. "That's not funny".

Alice smiled at him. "You called. So we came".

"And we now know patience is certainly not one of your virtues" joked Tom. "But this should be proof enough that we do as we promise. Have some trust in us, Malcolm. You might need our help in the path that expects you".

Malcolm rolled his eyes. "So the great-grandparents I never met who live in the after-world now know me like the palm of their hands. And what path are you talking about? My brother's truly dead. If you do see me from up there" he pointed to the sky. "You must have seen the coffin with him inside too. In fact, it's over there" he pointed to the spot where the forensics worked. "Go and see for yourselves".

"No need" said Alice. "Dear, mistakes and miscalculations are expected in every plan, and you must expect them in your life. That makes us learn and grow".

"Are you saying I got the wrong relative?"

"We are saying you got the wrong strategy" said Tom.

"What does that mean?" he demanded.

"It means that you know the answer you are looking for" Alice replied. "You just don't know how to get it".

"If the answer does not come to you, then you must go to the answer" said Tom. "If you cannot find the way, make your own".

"Bring him back to us" said Alice, as she and Tom began to vanish. "Find the way. Save him!"

"What? Bring who?" Malcolm wondered, panicking when he saw they were gone. "No, don't...!"

No one was there anymore. He sighed in defeat.  _"Why do they have to leave without telling me the whole idea?"_

"Sir?" said someone behind him.

Malcolm turned around. The leader of the forensics was taking his gloves off.

"We're done, sir" he said. "They're about to close the coffin, but not yet, since you asked to be called first".

Malcolm nodded. "Right, right".

He followed the forensic to the coffin, which was still open and on the ground. But the cemetery workers had their shovels ready, and had nails and hammers in their hands, to close it.

Malcolm noticed the awful smell of the cadaver was gone. He figured either the forensics or the air had had something to do with it.

He looked at the body. The clothing was fixed, and so was the remaining hair. Still, it was no pretty view.

 _"If the answer does not come to you, then you must go to the answer"_ he remebered.

Suddenly, his eyes widened a little, as he remembered a lesson he had had during his training, involving dead bodies recognition and forensic police training.

"Hey, man" he said, pointing to the leader of the forensics, but still looking at the body.

The leader approached. "Yes, sir?"

"Could you pass me a pair of tweezers and a ziploc bag, please?" he asked.

The leader frowned. "Tweezers? What for?"

"Protocol" Malcolm lied. "The CIA can be very meticulous with some cases, you know, specially with dead bodies. They want DNA and stuff. The less I say the better, though".

He turned to him. "The tweezers, please?"

The näive leader nodded, and passed him what Malcolm needed.

Malcolm put on his latex gloves, took the tweezers and the ziploc bag and leaned down. He crossed himself, and with the tweezers he caught a tooth from the skull.

_"If you're indeed my brother then God, please forgive me"._

He pulled, easily taking it out after a few seconds, for the decomposed tissues were already soft.

"Ah, splendid" he murmured, putting the tooth in the bag and taking the gloves off. He returned the tweezers to the forensics. Then, he turned to the workers. "All yours, gentlemen".

As the workers closed the coffin and started the burial procedure, Malcolm stepped as far from them as he could. He called Chad, who answered almost right away.

_"Man, what the hell did you mean there's still a body inside the coffin?!"_

"Did you spread the word?" Malcolm asked.

_"No. No one but me knows about this. What the hell happened?"_

Malcolm sighed. "We opened the coffin and found the body was there. It wasn't pretty".

 _"I can imagine"_ Chad replied. He sighed.  _"So Will is indeed dead, isn't he?"_

"I didn't say that".

_"But, you said..."_

"I said there was a body inside" said Malcolm. "Listen, Sami confirmed that Bill Robin was Will, because he had already used that pseudonym in the past. I saw my great-grandparents again, and they said all I needed was a change of strategy".

_"But the body..."_

"I know it's crazy" said Malcolm. He looked at the bag with the tooth in it. "But I'm not planning to surrender anytime soon. We'll demonstrate Will is alive, and we'll find him wherever he is, and bring him back to Salem. As for the body, we'll find out his true identity".

 _"Well, we might need to hurry, then"_ Chad said.  _"We might have a little obstacle... Or problem"._

Malcolm frowned. "And what is it?"

 _"Sonny proposed to Paul"_ he said.  _"And he said yes"._

* * *

Caroline had some soup at a table inside the Pub. Her long face was the first thing Celeste noticed when she entered the place.

"Caroline" she said, with a worried tone on her voice as she hurried to her table. "What happened?"

Caroline just let out a sight. "It's gone".

"What is gone?"

"My dream!" she lamented. "It has stopped! And this time seems for good".

"How come?" she asked.

"I don't know" said Caroline. "I didn't have it last night. Neither the night before, or the night before. What do you think it means?"

"Only so many things" she replied, taking out a small notepad and a pen from her purse. "Do you happen to know when was the last time you had the dream?"

"Two or three nights ago" said Caroline. "I don't understand. Do you think it's a way to tell me something?"

"Could be" said Celeste, nodding. "When a current dream disappears, it usually means the image you saw, or the message that it was trying to give you was received and well interpreted, or that it is too late to do anything".

Caroline got a worried look on her face. "Oh no! Does this mean that the poor man inside that room can't be rescued? Is it too late for him?"

"Not necesarily" Celeste replied. "It could mean this man is about to be rescued, if he hasn't been already".

"What I'm dreaming... It's a vision, isn't it? A constant vision. It was all real".

Celeste nodded, stood up and approached her. "Only one way to find out".

She closed her eyes as she put her hands on both sides of Caroline's head. She concentrated, as Caroline did her best not to disturb her with her own confusion.

Celeste remaint silent and with her eyes closed for some minutes.

Suddenly, she gasped, and quickly separated from Caroline.

Caroline frowned. "What? Something wrong?"

Celeste joined her hands together, panting. "I got the message. You do not have the dream anymore... Because the man's savior knows about him".

"Oh, that's wonderful!" she smiled.

"But the dream could return" Celeste warned. "For the savior is facing uncertainty".

"Oh" said Caroline, her face falling. "Do we know who the man's savior is?"

"I am afraid we are not" She said. "But there was a clue: 'Seek the help of the young boy no one who knows him would consider helpful. Seek the help of the last person you have met. Seek the help of the last addition to your family'".

Caroline frowned. "Well, that's strange... I wonder if..."

All of a sudden her eyes widened.

"What is it, Caroline?" Celeste asked.

Caroline just stared at her, still silent. "I know who we must go to".

"Who?"

"Malcolm".

* * *

Chad entered the lobby of the hospital, where Malcolm was already expecting him.

"Ok, listen. I need answers and I need them right now" he demanded.

"Alright, alright" he said, lowering his voice, and walking with him towards the elevator.

Once they were inside, Chad put his hands on his hips. "So, you found Will's body. How was it?"

Malcolm shook his head. "So not pretty. It was an awful mix of skeleton with flesh, and skin, and hair, and God, that smell..."

"Ok, ok, don't give me details" he interrupted. "How did Sami and Lucas take it?"

"Lucas was definitely calmer, that's for sure".

Chad sighed. "Of course".

The elevator doors opened and they go out.

"Why are we here again?" he asked.

Malcolm, who was walking in front of him, stopped and turned around. He took out the bag with the tooth and showed it to him.

Chad frowned. "Ew, what's that?"

"It's a tooth" Malcolm naturally replied.

"No, I know it's a tooth, but where did you get it? Why do you have a tooth anyway?"

Malcolm sighed. "I took it from the body, of course".

"WHY?!" Chad asked, horrified.

"Would you calm down?" he hissed, noting that some people were staring at them. "It's basic. DNA can be easily found in teeth, even if the body has been dead for a long time. I want to make some comparisons".

Chad just stared at him. "Ok, alright. And how are you planning to do that?"

Malcolm smirked. "You just watch me".

He walked carelessly towards the reception counter, and shoved his credential in the face of the surprised receptionist. "CIA. I'm looking for Dr Kayla Johnson".

The receptionist blinked twice before reacting. "I'll bring her right away".

While the receptionist called for Kayla on the phone, Malcolm approached Chad. He had an unamused look on his face.

"Bit rude, don't you think?"

"Oh, please, if I had asked nicely I would have probably been told to wait for some hours until Dr Johnson was available" he replied. "Not to mention we're kind of in a hurry".

Chad was about to answer when Kayla came out of a room and headed to the receptionist. "Who called for me?"

The receptionist pointed at Malcolm, who saw her and waved.

Kayla went to him. "Malcolm? You wanted to see me? I thought it was someone from the CIA!"

"Yeah, that's me" he answered with grin.

Kayla raised an eyebrow. "You? You work for the CIA?"

Malcolm, still grinning, Showed her her credential and badge. "Long and funny story I'll probably tell one day. But right now, I'm in rush... Sort of".

Kayla lifted her arms. "Well? What's so urgent?"

"Do you happen to have medical records taken before weddings, or something like that?" he asked. "You know, the ones the judge orders to know if one of the parties have some chronic or lethal disease?"

"We do".

"Do you happen to have records from 2014?"

Kayla frowned, but nodded. "Yes".

Malcolm decided to push his luck a little more. "And do you happen to have the one taken for Jackson Kiriakis and Will Horton's wedding?"

Kayla's eyebrows rised. She was not expecting that. "What? Why would you want it?"

Malcolm showed her his bag, and even let her grab it.

"What's this?"

"That would be my brother Will's tooth".

Kayla quickly shoved the bag back into Malcolm's hand. "What the hell? How did you get it?"

"For some classified reasons we had his body exhumed this morning" he shamelessly replied. "I suggest you keep this for yourself, Dr Johnson, or this operation could get risky".

"Operation?"

"Classified" he said. "I need you or anyone of your lab technicians to compare the DNA in this tooth with the one you got for that record".

Kayla was shocked.

Malcolm smirked. "I'm pretty sure it's a simple procedure that won't last very long, right?"

Kayla nodded. "Alright".

She carefully, and with little nervousness, took the bag with the tooth and went to the lab.

Malcolm sighed happily as he turned to Chad. "And now we wait".

* * *

Sonny walked happily through the square, when he saw Lucas, EJ and Sami sitting in a table not too far away from him.

Sami looked sad, and the others seemed to be comforting her, so he decided to see what had happened.

"Hey, guys" he greeted.

"There you are!" said Lucas. "We were trying to reach you all morning!"

"Sorry, I was kinda busy" he replied. He turned to Sami. "Hey, Sami. What's the matter? What happened?"

Sami sniffed, as EJ rubbed her back. "We, um... We..."

"We had William's body exhumed this morning" said EJ, knowing she wouldn't be able to say that herself.

Sonny's grin disappeared. "You did what?"

"We were trying to call you so you would join us" Lucas explained. "We figured that, as his ex-husband, you had a right to be there".

"No, what I had a right to was to give my consentment about it" he said. "And you know what! There's a difference between ex-husband and widower. Will and I were still married when he died".

"I don't think we have to discuss that now" EJ intervened. "One thing at the time. The body had to be exhumed, Sonny".

"Why?" he demanded. "And it better be a good reason. Why would you have wanted to dig up his grave?"

Sami glanced at Lucas. "Because... Malcolm told us that... There was a chance of Will being alive".

Sonny stared at them for a second. Then, he scoffed. "What? That's impossible. Will's dead, he was murdered, we all...!"

"We know!" Lucas interrupted. "We know. We saw the body".

"I know you saw it, and I would have too, but my plane didn't come until the next day..."

"No, no. I mean..." Lucas sighed. "We  _saw_ the body".

It took Sonny a few seconds to understand what Lucas had told him. He let out a sigh. "So, there it is. Will's dead, end of story".

He cleared his throat. "Now, who had the idea? Because someone must have had a cery good reason to determine there was that chance".

"Malcolm Horton told them" said EJ. "We all met at the cemetery. He was quite shocked himself when they opened the coffin, though".

"Of course" said Sonny, letting out a sarcastic chuckle. "And what was he based on?"

"A lot of evidence" Sami said. "He didn't tell us everything, but we got a few things that matched".

"Not that it matters anyway" said Lucas. "The body still being there killed all chances of our son still walking on this Earth".

The four remained silent for a while.

"You looked happy" commented EJ. "Anything you'd like to say?"

"Um" Sonny hesitated. "I don't know if I should tell you, guys... Especially with what's happened this morning..."

"Just tell us" said Lucas. "We could use some good news".

"Ok" Sonny breathed in and out before saying anything. Once he was calmed, he showed them a small grin. "Paul and I are engaged".

The three adults remained silent.

Sonny gave them a nervous smile. When he got no answer, he rubbed the back of his head. "I knew it. Too soon, isn't it? I shouldn't have said anything..."

"No, no, Sonny" said Lucas, standing up. "Of course we're happy for you... Just quite a lot to take in, that's all".

"We wouldn't want you to stay single forever" said Sami.

"No, I know that, it's just..." Sonny sighed. "I couldn't have chosen a worse timing. I mean, I should have been there at the cemetery".

"It doesn't matter anyway" said Lucas. "Besides, we didn't want to disturb you too. We know how hard Will's death was for you and how long it took you to accept it and move on".

"I'm ok now" said Sonny. "I may get another chance of happiness".

Sami stood up and hugged him. Sonny finally smiled.

"We couldn't be more glad" she said. "Congratulations, Sonny".

* * *

After fifteen minutes or half an hour, Kayla approached Malcolm and Chad. She had an envelope in her hands.

"The results are here" she announced.

"Awesome" said Malcolm, taking the envelope. "Now let's see what we got".

He opened the envelope, took out the paper and read it.

"So?" Chad asked eagerly, as Kayla looked at them.

But Malcolm's triumphant grin slowly disappeared the more he read. By the time he finished, he had a big, big frown on his face. "What the hell?"

"Something wrong?" asked Chad.

Malcolm looked at him. He looked furious. "They match".

Chad blinked twice. "What?"

"The samples match" he repeated.

"That's what you wanted to see?" asked Kayla. "Malcolm, my nephew did die years ago".

Malcolm ripped the paper and threw the pieces in the trash can in anger.

"Son of a bitch" he muttered.

"Ok then, what now?" asked Chad. "Shall we surrender? 'Cause I would kill for some fried chicken right now".

"Shut up" he hissed, noticing that a cop who guarded the elevator had turned to stare at them. He groaned as he started pacing in little circles, trying to think of something.

"I'm sorry" said Kayla.

But then, suddenly, Malcolm stopped dead on his tracks, lifting a finger. "The tooth, you still have it?"

Kayla shook her head.

Malcolm refrained from getting angrier than he already was. "But the DNA info, you still have it, don't you? 'Cause I  _will not_ exhume my 'brother' again just to take another tooth".

"Excuse me?!" Kayla asked, horrified.

"Do you or do you not have it?" Malcolm insisted.

"We should, it's protocol" replied Kayla, still shaken up by Malcolm's last comment. "We get rid of the samples, but the DNA information is kept in our database for future investigations, if the case is given of course".

Malcolm clapped his hands. "Great, get it ready". He patted Chad on the back. "Come on, let's go".

"Go? Where?" Chad asked, following him.

Kayla sighed as the two left, and went to the lab to give Malcolm's intructions to the technicians.

* * *

A few minutes later, Malcolm and Chad were in Gabi's house playing with Ari.

Ari was having the time of her life, as she rode in Malcolm's back while Thomas (they needed an excuse to see Ari) did the same on Chad's back. Yes, they were racing on their hands and knees.

"Faster, Uncle!" she laughed.

"I'm gonna kick your ass" Malcolm declared.

"Not as much as Gabi when she finds out you're saying bad word in front of her daughter" Chad replied, sticking out his tongue.

Thomas patted his dad on the back and kicked his ribs in order to make him run faster.

"Ow!" Chad complained. "That's no way to treat your Father!"

As Ari laughed at the sight, Malcolm took advantage of her being distracted. He pretended to trip with his own arms and dropped himself on the floor, making poor Ari fall flat on her face.

At first, nothing happened, and a deathly silence invaded the room. Wide-eyed, both Malcolm and Chad stared at her, while Thomas got off Chad and pulled his sleeve, wanting to be carried.

And then, it happened. Ari let out a big scream and began crying and wailing. She sat as she whimpered.

Malcolm tried not to flinch when he saw Ari's bleeding nose. Instead, he took a white cloth he had in his pocket and rubbed it to get the blood. Ari cried louder.

"Ari?" Gabi's voice called from other room.

"Dude, we're so dead, Gabi's gonna slaughter us and hide our bodies" Chad said in horror, holding Thomas tighter, making him let out a sound of annoyance.

"Not if we run" said Malcolm, finishing with Ari's nose and getting up from the floor.

"Ari?" Gabi's voice was heard, closer.

"Run, run!" Malcolm said, and he and Chad went to the door and rushed out.

...

"Malcolm? Malcolm!"

Malcolm snapped out of his imagination. "Huh? What?"

"We're here" Chad said, showing him Gabi's door. Thomas hadn't been brought. "I was asking you how we were going to take Ari's DNA. But since it seems you haven't even been aware of where you're stepping, I'll ask again: how will we take Ari's DNA?"

Malcolm shrugged. "I have no idea. I was just thinking about it, and I can't think of anything that won't make me a cruel nd sadistic uncle who's gonna end up being forbidden to see her".

"How about asking nicely?" Chad smirked as he knocked on the door.

Malcolm glared at him. "I was just about to suggest that".

Chad chuckled. "Sure you were".

The door opened, and Gabi got out. "Hi, guys! Come in!"

"Hey, Gabi" he said as he walked in. He spotted his niece sitting on the floor. "Hi, Ari, how are you?"

"'M good" she said, after she greeted him and Chad.

"Look!" she excitedly exclaimed, showing him a drawing of a swan. Well, it was meant to be a swan.

"It looks really pretty, Ari" he acknowledged. "It actually looks better than the mouse your drew the other day".

"It was a elephant" she pouted.

"An elephant, of course it was an elephant!" he corrected himself.

Gabi chuckled. "I'll go get cookies".

Once she was gone, Malcolm leaned down next to Ari, while Chad looked to see if Gabi was coming back.

"Now, Ari" he whispered. "You wanna help out with a super cool secret mission?"

That caught Ari's attention. She nodded excitedly.

Malcolm showed her another small ziploc bag that he took out of his pocket. "All you have to do is spit in here".

Seeing her confused face, he explained a little. "It's very important that you do this for me, that way I might be able to do something that could make you really, really happy".

"What is it?" she asked, curious.

"Can't tell yet" he replied. But I need you to do this for me. Will you do it?"

Ari nodded. She ended up spitting a large drop of saliva inside the bag.

"Ah, thank you" said Malcolm, closing the bag, and caressing her cheek. He glanced at Chad and nodded.

"I'm here" announced Gabi, carrying a tray with cookies.

"Oh, um, we actually gotta go" said Chad ("What?" Gabi complained). "But I'll take one to go".

He took a cookie and went to the door.

Malcolm followed him. He took a handful of cookies. "Thank you, Gabi".

Gabi looked at them and scoffed in confusion. She turned to Ari, who just shrugged.

* * *

Half an hour later, Chad and Malcolm rushed in the hospital.

Kayla was taking out her lab coat, and she huffed when she saw them. "You two again?"

"A last one. It's very important" said Chad.

Malcolm took out the bag.

Kayla shook her head. "No".

"Please" said Malcolm.

"Malcolm, the lab closes in half an hour" she said. "You're going to have to wait until tomorrow for another test".

"This can't wait until tomorrow!" Malcolm insisted. "Dr Johnson, the time is now!"

Kayla just shook her head again. "I'm sorry, Malcolm. But there won't be enough time to do it".

Malcolm sighed. "I so did not want to do this" he muttered.

He took out his badge and lifted it. "As an active CIA agent, I demand you make time and do the test".

"Malcolm..."

"I'm not asking anymore. It's an order".

Kayla looked at him. She took the bag and took it to the lab.

"I do hate to do that" Malcolm confessed.

"It was the right thing to do" said Chad.

"No" he replied. "That will depend on how the results turn out".

* * *

This time the test lasted a little more time than the first one.

As Chad sat on a couch, Malcolm paced nervously in circles in front of him. "God, what's taking so long?"

"Maybe they're doing the test several times to make sure they get the right results so you won't bother them again" Chad suggested. "That or they're just taking too long just to piss you off".

Malcolm groaned.

However, Kayla finally emerged from the lab. She approached and gave it to Malcolm.

"Here it is" she said.

"Thank you" he replied sincerely.

He opened the envelope, but glanced at her. "You don't happen to already know what's inside this, do you?"

"No" said Kayla. "I'm not a lab technician. I just deliver the paper. I'll leave you two to it".

She left.

Malcolm took out the paper from the envelope and read. This time, his face had no expression.

"My God" he said.

"What, what is it?" Chad asked

Malcolm glanced at him.

"Ari's not even close to a match".


	20. Chapter 20

"And where are you going?"

Victor was at the door of one of the many bedrooms of the Kiriakis Mansion, where Deimos was packing some things.

"Just business" he lied.  _"Which I have with Mr Robin"._

"Where?" Victor insisted.

"Italy" said Deimos. "Just a few arrangements that demand my presence there. I'll be back in no time".

No answer was given, and Deimos continued packing unconcerned, until he turned around again. Victor was narrowing his eyes at him.

Deimos groaned. "What?"

"I just find strange you want to go to Italy this time of the year" Victor replied, shrugging. "Figured you'd rather go during the summer".

Deimos smirked. "Business, brother. Business".

Victor nodded. "Am I allowed to know with who? We don't have any business partners there for obvious reasons".

"If I play my cards right, the DiMeras might lose some".

Victor raised an eyebrow. "Now I see. You shall be careful then. God knows the precautions I had to take when it came to dealing with that family".

"Times change".

"Stefano being old and ill doesn't mean his level of danger has decreased" he warned.

Deimos closed his suitcase and put it on the floor. "Stop worrying too much. I'll make sure this works out".

He got out of the room, followed by Victor.

Once they were at the door of the mansion, he turned around.

"Has Horton been bothering lately?"

"He's been keeping his distance" said Deimos. "I do believe he's up to something".

"I'll try myself, but you better come back to help me neutralize him once and for all".

"Oh, about that, an old friend of mine will keep an eye on him while I'm gone" he replied. " _Especially now that he knows about Bill Robin"._

Victor closed the door, and Deimos turned to the street.

He got another smirk on his face. "New business partners in Italy. Old man must be losing his spark".

* * *

"I wanna heal, I wanna feel, what I thought was never real..."

Malcolm sat humming along the song on a bench at the park as he read the newspaper. No mention of his brother's body exhumation had been made, for the secrecy it had been done with had been absolute.

"...I wanna find something I've wanted all along..."

Someone tapped on his shoulder from behind. He turned around and looked up to see Chad looking at him expectantly.

"What?" said Malcolm.

"What?" Chad repeated. "What do you think you're doing? You just got confirmation Will's not dead. We should have already taken action!"

Malcolm closed the newspaper. "The day has just started. Forgive me for trying to start my day knowing the events in town".

Chad frowned. "I thought you were really desperate to find the truth. You got it, so what are you planning to do about it?"

Malcolm stood up. "Have breakfast".

"What?"

"Do you actually expect me to take action with an empty stomach?" he joked.

Seeing Chad's stern expression, Malcolm rolled his eyes. "I'm just enjoying the calm before the storm while it lasts. My stuff is ready. But I can't jump into a mission if I don't know what to do. We know the main problem. My brother is actually alive and held prisoner, and Deimos Kiriakis has him hostage. But we don't know where".

"So? Go confront him and get the information" Chad simply said.

Malcolm glared at him. "Because that's worked out well in the past, right?"

"What then?" he asked.

"That man is certainly a case" Malcolm acknowledged. "I gotta find a way to approach him without getting too hurt in the process".

"Good luck with that" said Chad sarcastically. "God knows the hell he's raised here".

"Tell me about it" said Malcolm. "But first, I'll go grab breakfast at the pub. I believe I'll figure something out by then".

He walked away.

Chad shrugged before following him. "Fine by me".

* * *

Gabi entered the living room of her house, looking for Ari.

"Ari, your cereal is ready!" she called. "Come on, sweetheart, where are..."

She stopped dead on her tracks when she saw Ari sitting on the couch.

Her daughter was sitting on the couch, holding a frame, which had the photo of a young man who smiled at the camera. He was blond like her. Ari just looked at it, interested, or intrigued.

The frame had been placed on a shelf, next to other photos of Gabi's family, Arianna, and others. What had caught Ari's attention was the fact that a small candle and been placed and lighted in front of it. It was a tradition to do it to remember those who had gone.

"Honey?" she asked. She sat next to her, and looked at the picture. A smiling Will Horton looked right back at her. At them. So many memories came back to her mind every time she looked at that photo. The time they met. When they were together. The coming out. When Ari came into their lives...

"Who is he, Mommy?"

Gabi shook her head, getting back to reality, when she heard Ari's voice. She turned to Ari, who was staring now at her with curiosity. "Excuse me, dear?"

"Who's him?" she repeated, pointing at the photo with her little finger.

Gabi let out a tiny chuckle. "Honey, come on. You seriously don't know?"

Ari shook her head.

 _"She doesn't remember"_ Gabi realized in horror.  _"She's growing up and she's starting to forget. But how can that be, when we've talked to her so much about him?"_

Holding back tears, she cleared her throat and caressed her daughter's little head. "This is your daddy, honey".

Ari looked at her incredulous. "Really?!"

"Yes!" she said with a smile. "Where else did you think you got that pretty, pretty face, huh?"

Ari thought for a second or two. "You?"

"Aw, thank you!" she said. "You know where he is, right?"

"In Heaven taking good care of me" she said.

"That's right, sweetie" said Gabi, feeling relieved Ari didn't forget everything.

"Why was there a candle?" Ari asked then. "No other picture has a candle".

"Oh" she said. She pointed to the still lighted candle. "It's to have him with us everyday, it tells us that he is here, in spirit. When I blow the candle at night, your Daddy goes to your room and takes care you while you sleep".

"He's here?"

"Yes" said Gabi. "He's right there in your heart. When you sleep, he makes sure you don't get any nightmares, and if you do, he fights until you wake up and stop them".

"But I've never seen him in my dreams" Ari pouted.

"Well, honey, maybe he doesn't want you to be sad if you see him" Gabi suggested. "I'm sure you miss him as much as he must miss you right now".

"M-hm" she nodded.

Gabi looked at the picture a little more before taking the picture back to the shelf. "Let's get you some breakfast, ok?"

"Alright" Ari replied, getting up from the couch and following Gabi to the kitchen.

* * *

Malcolm sat at a table at the Pub, as Chad did the same next to him, reluctanly, and started tapping the floor with his right foot impatiently as Malcolm ordered and later got a hot chocolate and some bread with butter and mermelade.

Some minutes passed until Malcolm finally got sick of Chad staring at him and his foot tapping, and glared at him, but decided to make fun of him just a little more. "I'm so rude, do you want some?"

Chad kept staring. "What I want is for you to do something. We just found out Will is alive and well and you're right here, sitting on your ass, eating".

"Shh!" Malcolm hissed. "Nobody must know we know this. Not yet. Besides, our information is incomplete. We don't know where to find him. We don't know what we'll find when we get there once we figure that out..."

"Oh, Malcolm!" a voice exclaimed from the counter.

Malcolm looked up to see Caroline walking to them.

She seemed quite excited to see him. "Hello, darling. Good morning, Chad".

"Hello, Ms Brady" greeted Chad. "How are you doing today?"

"Just like everyday" she said. "May I sit here for a moment".

"Sure, please" said Malcolm, signaling a free chair.

Caroline sat, just as Chad's phone buzzed. He checked it. "I gotta take this, excuse me".

He stood up and walked away as he answered the call. "Yes, it's me..."

"So" said Malcolm. "How can I help you?"

Caroline looked to both sides to make sure no one was near to listen to them and leaned down, lowering her voice. "My dreams are gone".

Malcolm blinked twice. "You mean the repetitive one with the man behind that door?"

Caroline nodded sadly.

Malcolm sighed.  _"I so don't have time for this"_

"I believe you have a lot on your plate right now" she said. "And I know this man is real. You got to help me save him".

"Ms Brady" he said. "I am in the middle of a mission".

Be it for a hunch or because he felt sorry for her, he raised a hand to stop her, for she was about to argue. "But I'll try to help you".

Caroline sighed in relief. "Thank you".

Just in that moment, Chad joined them again. "What's going on?"

Malcolm signaled him to sit with them as he thought. "Just a thought. Why asking  _me_ for help when Ms Perrault could help more effectively?"

"I already went to her" she admitted. "We resolved you could do something useful".

Malcolm nodded, and thought a little more. "Touch my hand"

"What?" she asked, confused.

"I'm no psychic, but if you and Ms Perrault resolved I could be of good use, then I must be somehow linked to your problem. Maybe you'll see something else".

Caroline hesitated, as Chad watched, and she grabbed Malcolm's wrist and closed her eyes. After a few seconds, she gasped. "Oh dear!"

"Don't open your eyes, stay there" said Chad.

"What do you see?" Malcolm asked.

"It's the same door with all the fog surrounding it" she said. "But I'm closer. I can see more of it"

"How's the door?" asked Chad.

"Wooden" she replied. It has a small window with a golden frame, but I can't see what or who's at the other side. The knob is golden too. Wait, some fog is dispelling. I can see... It's a silver sign underneath the window".

"Can you read it?" asked Malcolm.

Caroline focused deeply. "It says...  _Non disturbare. Stanza_   _privata_ ".

Chad's eyes widened. "It's Italian".

"There's something engraved on the knob" said Caroline. "It's some strange bird... Oh my God, I'd recognize it anywhere. It's a Phoenix!"

Malcolm and Chad glanced at each other in shock. "There's no way..."

"Ms Brady, you can open your eyes" Malcolm ordered.

Caroline obliged. "Please tell me what I described was useful".

"More than that" said Malcolm. "We gotta run". He placed some bills on the table and he and Chad ran out of the Pub.

Once they were outside, Chad stopped Malcolm. "There's something else".

"What is it?"

"I didn't want to say it in front of Ms Brady, but you gotta know this. One of my men has been following Deimos, and he called to say that he spotted him at the airport with some luggage this morning".

"You've got to be kidding" Malcolm groaned. "Deimos knows I know he has Will, maybe he's going to change his location or something. That Italian place... Is there a chance Ms Brady has been seeing Will's place of captivity all this time?"

"Dude, she was seeing the DiMera Castle" said Chad. "No way in hell Deimos would step foot in there".

Malcolm frowned. "Your family has a castle? Just how rich are you?"

Chad stared at him. "Focus, please!"

"Alright, alright" he said. "It's too much of a coincidence. I'm so going to the Kiriakis Mansion. If anyone there confirms Deimos is going to Rome..."

"Then we got everything we need to know" Chad completed.

"You go and try to see if Stefano knows anything about this, ok?"

"Got it".

"Alright, go!"

* * *

Paul and Sonny were enjoying a nice walk through the square.

"Dad was over the moon when I told him the news" Paul was saying. "My mom too, actually. Even though she's not your biggest fan".

"Tell me about it" chuckled Sonny. "I told my parents too. They are really happy for us. Mom is actually way too impatient. She was starting to ask all these questions like the best men, location, date..."

"They let's not make her wait" said Paul.

Sonny stared at him. "What?"

Paul shrugged. "Why make this a long engagement? I don't wanna wait. Let's do this right away".

Sonny let out a disbelieving chuckle. "Are you insane?"

"What?" he said. "Come on, give me a good reason why we shouldn't do this".

Sonny thought for a minute. "I guess..."

"Great, let's set a date" Paul interrupted happily.

"Paul, this is crazy" he replied. "I just proposed yesterday, and you want to get married right away?

"Come on, it'll be fun!" said Paul. "This is finally our chance to be happy once and or all!"

Sonny had to admit Paul had a point there. But it was  _way_ too soon. But then again, he loved him and would do whatever it took to reach happiness. Even if he wasn't that sure...

"A couple days, maybe?" he stammered.

Paul kissed him. "Awesome".

* * *

Chad walked into the Mansion determined to get a few answers. Stefano was there, sitting on the sofa, as he read the newspaper.

"Father" Chad greeted.

Stefano glanced at him. He rolled his eyes.

"Uh oh" he deadpanned, looking back at the paper. "I've seen that look before. What are you going to accuse me for this time?"

"Oh, right to the point, perfect" said Chad. "Father, have you formed any kind of secret alliance with Deimos Kiriakis?"

Stefano's uninterested look changed after the few seconds he took to process that question. His grip on the newspaper got tighter and tighter, and he glanced at Chad like he had just offended his great ancestors.

"What did you just say?" he asked, slowly and dangerously.

Chad got on alert, but decided not to back down. "Have you formed any kind of secret alliance..."

"WITH DEIMOS KIRIAKIS?!"

Chad had never seen his father so red and angry in his life. Well, maybe once or twice, but it wasn't that frequent.

"You are saying that Deimos and I have an 'alliance'... WE ARE IN A WAR, FOR GOD'S SAKE!"

"So no?"

"What on Earth is going on here?" asked Andre as he walked in the room. He looked at Stefano fuming on the sofa, and Chad standing in front of him.

"But of course" he said, rolling his eyes. "Alright, Chad, what have you said to Father now?"

"He is asking if I got an alliance with Deimos Kiriakis!" accused Stefano. "I've never been so insulted before!"

"Oh, don't be so dramatic" said Chad. "If you're gonna say no, then say no".

Stefano glared at him for a moment. "THEN NO!"

Chad smirked. "Cool".

"What is all this scandal about?" asked Andre. "What's with that question? Chad, how could you possibly think that Father is working with Deimos Kiriakis of all people?"

Chad, arm-crossed, glanced at him. "Deimos Kiriakis has been spotted at the airport. With some investigations led by the CIA, it's been concluded that he's flying to Rome".

"And by CIA you mean Malcolm Horton is behind this accusation?" said Andre.

Chad scoffed. "Italy is probably the only country in Europe besides England Deimos has no business with, corporately speaking. The reason is obvious, Rome is DiMera's 'fort'. Now, you tell me, why would he go there?"

"Pleasure?" Andre suggested.

"Then he'd be wasting his time" said Stefano. "I'm sure we'd blast Titan if he left it unprotected".

"It's not a pleasure trip" said Chad. "Deimos is heading to the DiMera Castle".

"How do you know that?" asked Andre.

"Doesn't matter" he quickly said. He turned to Stefano. "Father?"

Something in Stefano's face had changed. Whether it was horror or confusion, Chad wasn't sure. But his father had certainly been caught off-guard.

"That's impossible" he finally said.

Chad frowned. "Why?"

"Well it's quite obvious" said Andre, with a chuckle. "A Kiriakis in the DiMera Castle, one of the most impenetrable places we have. It doesn't make any sense".

"It's not that!" Stefano said. He tried to get up, and he was starting to shake a little.

Chad rushed to help him. "Father, don't freak out, your heart. I'm sorry, I'm sorry".

"No, son, you did good in telling me" he said, calmer. "The DiMera Castle has been in a period of inactivity ever since Kristen... Deimos couldn't have just gone and claim it as his".

"What if he did?" said Chad. "What if he's been using that castle even before Kristen died?"

"Kristen was one of the most loyal members of this family, that's pretty much why she resided in the castle" said Andre. "There's no way she would have betrayed us by letting that man".

"I'm not saying that" he replied. "I'm saying, what if Deimos was making use of the castle without her knowledge?"

"Then he's made a fool of us" said Stefano, getting angry again. "Call Agent Horton and prepare the jet. I want that man out of my property, dead or alive".

Chad smirked as he pulled out of his phone. "Don't hol your breath".

* * *

Malcolm knocked the door of the Kiriakis Mansion. He wasn't afraid of any attemps on his life.

_"Besides, the man who wants me dead is out of the country"._

He knocked again, and Henderson opened the door. "May I help you?"

"I'm looking for Victor Kiriakis" he said, showing him his credential. "Let me in, this is a CIA operation".

He pushed Henderson aside and stormed in the living room, where he found Victor calmly having a cup of coffee, sitting on his chair.

"Ah, Malcolm" he greeted. "What do I owe the pleasure?"

"Oh, save it" Malcolm said, annoyed. He contained himself, and gave Victor a false smile. "Sorry. Do you happen to know where Deimos might be? I believe we left some unfinished business and things left unsaid the last time we spoke".

"I heard it all ended with a sniper attack on you" said Victor.

"Pff, exagerations" he dismissed with a wave. "Anyway, I was hoping to see him and finish..."

"He's not here" Victor interrupted.

"Where is he?"

"Out"

"Where?"

"None of your damn business"

Malcolm smirked. "Come on, Victor. You don't wanna play with me".

"I'm so scared" Victor mocked. "I'm sure you'll now point at me with a gun".

Malcolm felt the need to take his oun out, but didn't want to give victor the satisfaction.

"So nothing?" said Victor. "Shame. I would have sang like a canary had you done it".

"Liar" said Malcolm. "You're not a coward. You're just making fun of me. Just what your bestie Stefano would do in a situation like this".

Victor's expression got stern. Malcolm smirked.  _"Got'cha"._

"Alright" said Victor. "You wanna play? Let's play. Smith!"

The door burst open, and a henchman entered firing a gun.

Malcolm, being used to ambushes, jumped like a cat, evading the bullet for centimeters (which hit the wall) and quickly sheltered himself behind another sofa, taking out his gun and pointing at Smith.

Victor chuckled, and raised a hand to stop Smith. He stood up and glanced at Malcolm.

"You must be mad to think I would allow a shootout in my living room, Malcolm" he said. "Though I must admit your blood would be easily removed from the rug".

"I'm using a vest anyway" said Malcolm, standing up, but not lowering his gun. "Aren't we family, Victor?"

"By the marriage of my son and your aunt, and my own with your other aunt, yes, we are" he replied. "However, these kind of circumstances require desperate measures to get rid of potential threats. It's just business".

Malcolm scoffed, deciding to play his final card. "Right. Back to business, then. Why has Deimos gone to Rome? Because I surely know you don't have any partners there".

Victor's smirk disappeared. "How do you know that?"

"Ah, so he  _is_ flying there!" Malcolm exclaimed triumphantly.

"He's there to gain some, that's for sure" Victor covered. "We're hitting the DiMeras right in the heart"

Malcolm smirked. "You must be mad to think I would buy that, Victor".

"It's the truth" he said. "So, he went to Rome, so what?"

"You really think I wouldn't find out, Victor?" Malcolm huffed. "I know what you guys are up to! I'm so stopping Deimos from causing Bill Robin any more harm".

Victor frowned. "Who the hell is Bill Robin?"

"Oh, come on, Victor, don't play dumb with me" he said. "You know that he's holding him prisoner as much as I do!"

"Deimos has someone hostage?" Victor asked, incredulous.

Malcolm studied Victor's face. His confusion was definitely genuine. Realization dawned on him. "You don't know".

"What, know what?" he asked.

Malcolm scoffed and shook his head disbelievingly. "Unbelievable, he fooled you too! I'm out of here".

He fired his gun, hitting Smith on the shoulder and rushed outside as soon as he fell to the floor.

Malcolm ran as far as he could from the mansion. As he stopped to catch his breath, he felt his phone buzzing. Panting, he picked up.

"Yeah?"

 _"Malcolm"_ said Chad's voice.  _"Are you alright?"_

"Oh, I am. I just shot one of Victor's henchmen"

_"What?!"_

"It wasn't that bad, he's not dead" said Malcolm, as he headed to his apartment to get his things. "Chad, Deimos  _is_ going to Rome. But Victor doesn't know about his real intentions. Deimos is working alone".

_"Then we must hurry"_

"What? No, Chad, you're not coming".

_"Excuse me?"_

"You have a wife and a son that need you, because this mission is life-threatening. Besides I'll need you to monitor me from Salem while I'm there. I'll have a special device delivered to the mansion".

He heard a reluctant sigh from Chad.  _"Fine. But you'll go with the DiMera jet. We can't afford any more risk and we can't lose time"_

Malcolm stopped on his tracks and frowned. "A jet, seriously, how rich are you?"

 _"Malcolm!"_  Chad exclaimed.  _"Listen, go grab your stuff and got to the airport. One of my men will be there waiting for you"_.

* * *

Sami and EJ were having some breakfast at Mandalay after dropping the kids at school.

"You know, I was very surprised to see your reaction when Sonny broke his 'big' news" EJ said. "Considering everything, I'm glad you support their union".

"Oh, so you bought it too?" she deadpanned.

EJ looked at her. "Beg your pardon?"

Sami scoffed. "You actually believe I'd support him marrying that, that..."

"Please don't say it" he said. "I thought you considered that Paul boy a good man".

"He is" she admitted. "I just don't see it right. It's  _not_ right. I mean, resuming that relationship, is like throwing away the years Sonny had with Will. It's like they never happened. And with what hapened, it's just so messed up..."

"Darling" said EJ, holding her hand. "I don't think Sonny has taken that into consideration. And maybe the reason is that so much time has passed. Nothing can be done. What should be done actually is just... Move on".

Sami sighed. "I don't know..."

Her phone ringed. She checked it. "It's Sonny". She answered.

"Hey, Sonny!" she greeted in a false happy tone. EJ chuckled and shook his head. Sami ignored him. "I'm ok, thanks, I... What? But... So soon? No, um, of course! Just let us know the date... Wow, ok. ALright, take care, bye".

She hung up, her face lost.

EJ looked at her, worried. "Sweetheart?"

Sami held her phone tighter. "They're marrying right away, EJ".

"What?"

Sami glanced at him. "They're doing it, EJ. By the end of the week, they'll be married".

EJ exhaled. "I can't believe this. It's way too soon. Why do you think they're in such a rush?"

Before Sami could answer, a happy, accented voice was heard behind them.

"Greetings!"

Both Sami and EJ's eyes widened. Especially Sami. Horrified, she slowly turned around to see a face she had hoped years ago she'd never see again. Percy Ruggles was smiling at her.

"Ms Brady, I hope you remember me" he said.

"But of course!" she said, collecting herself and faking a smile. "Oh my God, it's been so long! What are you doing back in Salem?"

"It has, certainly. I'm just here for the birds, of course, as you may remember" he replied, showing her his binoculars. "I apologize for getting right to the point, but, do you happen to know a young man named Malcolm Horton?"

"He's out of town actually" said EJ quickly.

"Is he?" asked Ruggles. "Do you happen to know when he'll be back?"

"No, sir, but I'm sure it won't be long".

Ruggles nodded. "Well, in that case. I'll leave you two alone. Enjoy your day".

Sami gave him a last smile as he walked away. Once he was gone, she turned to EJ. "What was that?"

"Trust me, I saw something in him" said EJ. "That man being back in Salem is definitely not because of the birds. Remember the last time? He's up to something. I'm sure Malcolm has to know about this".

* * *

Hours later, Malcolm was already flying in the DiMera jet, heading to Rome. He had packed some essential stuff he would need, for he wasn't planning on staying for too long there. He knew what to do, and where to go.

He decided to check his weapons. He knew that Deimos was definitely powerful, and he wouldn't be alone. He even suspected a small army would expect him to kill him the minute he arrived.

He had his guns ready, a knife and some grenades, apart from his CIA equiptment.

And so, he opened a bag with his latest adquisition. A "present" from his friends in the agency.

It was a small, manageable, but powerful machine gun.

"Hang on, brother" he muttered. "Help's on the way".


	21. Chapter 21

In the DiMera Castle, a man in black waited at the door when he saw the helicopter arrive. The wind blown by the rotor blades made leaves fly and the sound was very noisy. He walked towards it when they started to slow down, and the door opened.

Deimos got out of the helicopter, and the man stood in front of him.

"It's so good to see you again, sir" he said in a very deep Italian accent. "It's been a long time".

"Two years" said Deimos. "Time flies".

"How's Mr DiMera?" the man asked.

"As usual, old and alive. Hopefully, for many more years".

The man nodded. "Everyone in the  _castello_ is ready for you".

"Excellent" said Deimos, walking towards the castle.

The man took out a cellphone and dialed someone. "He's here. Tell the staff Mr Tony DiMera has arrived and will check on everything".

* * *

"...alright. Thanks. Call if you got anything else we could use".

Chad hung up the phone and joined his father and brother in the living room.

"Any news on Horton?" Stefano asked.

"He should be landing in Rome pretty soon" he replied. "Don't worry, Father. He's well trained and armed to do this".

"That is not what worries me" he said. "I  _cannot_ think of a good reason why Deimos Kiriakis would be in my castle. How in God's name could he get in?!"

"A fake alias?" suggested Andre. "I wouldn't be surprised if that sleazy rat entered the castle under the name of one of our deceased relatives".

"Wait, but, shouldn't there be a security team in charge of corroborating that?" asked Chad.

"Knowing Kristen, I guess she would have decided she was enough for the castle, and let everyone go" Andre grumbled.

"But Kristen's been gone for like three years, how the hell no one bothered to check on everything?" Chad exclaimed. "Father, you went there after what happened, how come you didn't notice anything?"

Stefano sighed. "I was  _so_ angry at Marlena that day, I only focused on getting my revenge".

Chad shook his head. "Incredible. I better reach my contact and ask him to look into that".

He took out his phone and went to the lobby, as Abigail walked past him with Thomas in her arms and a smile on her face.

"And what is it that is making you so happy today?" asked Stefano, as he took Thomas from her and put him on his lap (Both Chad and Abby let him spend some time with Thomas as long as one of them or someone they trusted was there, God forbid Stefano tried to do anything like in his evil days).

"Oh just some good news" she said.

"Oh, did Thomas finally grow a tooth?" asked Andre.

"Oh, better, I..." Her smile disappeared and she turned to Andre, slightly offended. "What... That was like two weeks ago, Andre! What kind of uncle are you, ignoring these milestones?"

Andre rolled his eyes. "Forgive me for not noticing and being a busy man".

"And while we're at it..." she said, turning to Stefano.

"I did notice!" he protested.

She put her hands on her hips. "Yeah, I gathered when the 'Tooth Fairy' left a hundred dollar bill under his pillow with a 'Congrats' note attached to it".

Andre chuckled. "Father, if I'm correct, money is left under the pillows of children that  _lose_ teeth, not  _grow_ them".

"Oh, that's not it" said Abby. "Stefano, I appreciate the gesture, but isn't it too much of an allowance for a two year old?"

"Oh please" said Stefano with a dismissive wave of his hand. "This boy will receive good allowances for as long as I live".

"The God help me" Abby groaned.

Stefano let out a mocking chuckle. "If it bothers you that much, then put it on a college fund or something for him. Who knows, maybe then you'll have enough to send him to Harvard, or perhaps Oxford or Cambridge".

"Wow" said Abigail. "You'd really spend all that money on him".

"I certainly don't need that money, especially with my age" he replied. "And Chad is the only one of my children who actually lets me be a part of my grandchildren's lives".

Abby lifted an eyebrow. "Well, thank you, Stefano".

Andre rolled his eyes. "Ok, enough with the cheesy mood. You had good news, say what it is".

Abigail glared at him, but sobered up. "Thomas said 'Daddy' today for the first time"

"Ah, isn't that amazing!" Stefano said proudly, as he bounced the baby on his lap".

"How time flies" said Andre. "Very soon you'll see him pronouncing speeches or poems or singing".

"That would be great" she said. "Oh, and Sonny called this morning. He and Paul are getting married in two days!".

Stefano and Andre's grins disappeared.

Just in that moment, Chad entered the room, frowning. "What did you just say?"

* * *

The DiMera jet landed in Italy in the afternoon. It wasn't too cold, but it wasn't hot either. Fresh air could be felt in the environment while the sun was up in the sky. Malcolm got out of the plane and stretched.

"Talk about a long flight" he muttered.

He checked the map on his phone. The jet had landed on the international airport instead of the private landing track of the castle by his order, for he pretended to avoid being received by a blast of bullets, courtesy of Deimos's men.

Still he wasn't that far. But the castle had been built on an area no wheeled vehicle could reach. Chad had told him a helicopter or walking were his options.

 _"No way in hell I'm walking all the way from here"_ he thought.  _"And a helicopter is not an option either, it's way too noisy"._

He was led from the plane to a separate door of the airport, and after some minutes, he found himself in the middle of Rome.

He looked at the imposing Coliseum in front of him and sighed.  _"I did_ not  _think this through"._

Knowing he needed to move, for he carried a backpack with his weapons inside, Malcolm started to approach people and asking if they knew how to reach the area where the castle was located, without mentioning the castle, of course. However, he was unsuccessful.

He wandered around the city for about an hour, always walking on the direction the castle was, using the map, for he thought the people who were closer would know what to do.

But nothing.

_"Dammit"_

Malcolm walked and walked, always through big, crowded streets. That, until he found himself lost. Rome was a big city, yes, and he was getting tired. So when he got to a small park, he sat on a bench to rest.

It wasn't until a few minutes later that he felt eyes on him. He turned around to see an old man staring at him. The man seemed strange, he used filthy clothes and a cane.

 _"Either he'll ask for some money or I'm about to get mugged"_ Malcolm thought.  _"Will he accept dollars?"_

"Tu non sembra di essere romano" said the man, with a strange, raspy voice. "Che cosa stai cercando?"

_"Of course I'm not Roman and I'm looking for a way to get to the DiMera Castle without getting caught and killed!"_

Trusting his ability with languages, Malcolm cleared his throat. "Voglio ottenere su per la alta collina, fuori città".

The castle had been built near a hill out of the city, where Chad had told Malcolm to go, so it would be easier to enter it without getting noticed.

But the man's face turned judgmental, or perhaps hateful. "Vuoi andare al castello di DiMera".

Malcolm's eyes widened.  _"He knows about the castle"._

The man shook his head. "Dovete andare a cavallo, sarà più facile di camminare, perché non si può raggiungere in auto".

Malcolm stared at him, puzzled.  _"Is he serious?"_

Sill surprised by the man's cooperation, he nodded. "Grazie".

The man nodded at him and walked away. Suddenly, Malcolm's phone rang.

* * *

Chad had a frown on his face as he stared at Abby. "What did you say?"

Knowing about Chad's feud with Sonny, Abigail thought of a quick answer. "Um, Thomas said his first word today".

Chad's frown grew deeper. "What? No, that can't..."

"Dad'y"

Chad turned from his wife to little Thomas, who was sitting on Stefano's lap and making grabby gestures with his hands towards him.

"Dad'y!"

In a few seconds, Chad's frown turned into a big, big smile. "Oh, my God".

He picked Thomas up and kissed his little cheek several times. "You just said 'Daddy', well done, Thomas, I'm so proud of you!"

Thomas giggled, Abigail took out her phone and took a picture of them.

"Ah, this moment should have been recorded. We would have teased the hell out of the boy when he grew older" said Andre.

"I am so glad you're so happy right now" smiled Abby.

"How can I not be, my little boy just called me 'Daddy'" said Chad, snuggling his son.

"I see" she chuckled. "By the way, Sonny's getting married in two days".

Just as she said that, she quickly ran towards the door of the living room, with the intention of going upstairs. Unfortunately for her, Chad reacted faster.

"Whoa, whoa, wait, stop right there!" he said, as Abby stopped on her tracks and silently cursed. "Sonny's doing what?"

"And that's our cue" said Andre. "Come on, Father, let's go to the studio so you can finish that novel you've been reading".

Stefano stood up and followed Andre out.

As soon as they were gone, Abby sighed. "I just thought you'd want to know".

_"Will is alive. Malcolm's gonna get him out of captivity. They'll be here soon"._

Chad shook his head. "I don't even care. Did he invite you?"

Abby nodded. "Yes".

"I guess he didn't even mention me".

"I'm sorry" said Abby apologetically. "If you want I won't go".

"No, no, he's your cousin, you  _must_ go" said Chad. "Besides, there are so many things I must worry about now".

"Right, the business" she said. "Are you sure you won't want to come? I mean, sure Sonny won't like it at first, but who knows, it might lead to a reconciliation between you two".

"No, I'll be fine" he replied. "But take Thomas with you, I bet he'll have some fun there with Ari".

"Alright".

Chad's phone rang.

"Better take that" said Abby before kissing her husband. "Love you".

"Love you too" he said, kissing her back.

Once Abigail left, Chad picked up the call. "Yes. Oh no. Are you sure? Ok, I'll make sure he knows, alright".

Chad hung up, furious.  _"That son of a bitch"._

He dialed Malcolm, who he presumed had already landed in Italy.

Malcolm answered almost right away.  _"Hey"._

"Hey, you in Rome yet?".

_"Almost out of Rome, actually. I've been trying to find a way to get to the castle without being noticed. I obviously can't walk all the way there, and I can't use a helicopter because of the noise it'll make once I arrive"._

"Have you come up with something?" Chad asked, almost impatiently.

_"I did. I ran into this creepy dude who noticed I wasn't Italian. I asked for a way to go to the hill that's close to the castle and he instantly knew I was referring to it! You know what he suggested? A horse. Because no cars can reach the place. Where the hell am I gonna find a horse?"_

"So you speak Italian, Father's gonna love that" Chad mused, as he opened the online map on his laptop. "Alright, there should be a ranch no too far away. You could rent a horse there. Do you even know how to ride?"

_"I do, I just haven't practised. Anyway, thanks. See ya"._

"Wait!" said Chad. "There's a reason why I called you. I have a man infiltrated in the Castle, he was there to check on Kristen, actually. But while you were flying to Rome, I sent him a picture of Deimos to confirm if he was there. After some research, he called me back. And you're never gonna believe this".

_"What is it?"_

"Deimos entered the castle claiming he was Tony DiMera and that he had gone under surgery for some private plans. I think he did some research in him because all the staff tested him. Kristen never knew because Deimos ordered them not to say anything. I told my man to help you as soon as you get there".

 _"Why doesn't he just rat him out?"_ Malcolm wondered.

"It's been two years since the first time he got to the castle. My assumption is that Will was abducted and placed there by Deimos's orders while he was still in prison, because my man told me Deimos has only been once at the castle. This would be the second time".

_"So Deimos wasn't working alone. He has an accomplice. Be careful, Chad. He knows we're onto him, he probably has his guy in Salem while he's gone"._

"I'll be fine" said Chad, as he heard a few knocks on the door. "You be careful ok? And you might want to hurry".

_"Why?"_

"Sonny and Paul are getting married in a couple days" Chad said. "If you bring Will back, it's gonna get messy. I don't know, I think I wanna mess with Sonny's head when Will's back".

_"Damn, so soon? Alright, wish me luck then"._

Chad cringed when he heard heavier knocks on the door. "Good luck, man".

He hung up as more knocks were heard. "Coming!"

He went and opened the door, where EJ was standing with a stern face.

"We need to talk".

* * *

Sonny walked into the living room of the Kiriakis Mansion, where Victor was waiting for him.

Sonny approached him, for Victor was showing his back to him, resting his hands on his cane, and poked his shoulder.

Victor, however, didn't react. He was staring at a picture of him and Maggie on their wedding day.

"A great day, wasn't it?" said Sonny.

Victor nodded.

"You know, Aunt Maggie had one of me and..."

"I destroyed it" said Victor. "The moment I found out he had hurt you, I tore it into little pieces".

Sonny seemed sad. "You didn't have to do that".

"The hell I didn't".

Sonny just looked down and at the rug. As he turned around he noticed a small dark reddish spot on it. He turned to Victor, who was still not looking at him. "That blood?"

Victor shrugged.

Knowing it must had been one of his uncle's hitmen, Sonny raised an eyebrow. "Is he at least still alive?"

"For God's sake, Sonny, he was shot on the shoulder, he'll be back to work in a week" said Victor.

Sonny raised his hands in surrender as he sat on the couch. "Ok".

Victor finally turned around and sat on the other couch.

Uncomfortable by the way his uncle was looking at him, Sonny rolled his eyes. "I guess you heard the news".

"The 'good' news, I'd say" Victor replied. "What are these news of you getting married out of the blue?"

Sonny sighed. "Paul and I have decided it is time for us to settle. And there's actually no rush, but I can't deny the idea of doing this right away is kind of exciting".

"Really?"

"Of course" he replied. "You know I've always been an adventurous guy".

"Right, but that doesn't mean making a desicion this big untimely is an adventure" he argued.

Sonny looked at him. "Uncle Vic, Paul and I want to do this".

Victor stared at him for a few seconds. "Was it your idea?"

"Of getting married? Yes".

"That's not what I'm talking about".

"The rushed wedding? It was Paul".

"Why?"

Sonny shrugged, not because he didn't want to answer, bit because he didn't know why either. "This is going to happen. Seriously".

Victor seemed to soften a bit. "Will you do it here?"

Sonny shook his head. "We'll do it at the park. Here would be... I don't know. Despite everything I don't wanna replace the memory I have here".

Victor nodded. "I understand".

They stood silent for a while, until Sonny pointed to the blood stain on the rug. "About that..."

"Horton did it" Victor said, annoyed.

"And you haven't slaughtered him?" Sonny asked, amused.

Victor shrugged. "It's something he said. It's had me thinking since yesterday".

"What did he say?"

Victor looked at him. "That Deimos had me fooled 'too'. He seemed to be in a rush, because he shot my hitman and ran away".

"Huh" said Sonny. "You were planning to kill him".

"That doesn't matter anymore" said Victor. "I believe Deimos is up to something, and getting me to get rid of Malcolm Horton was a way to cover himself".

* * *

"EJ, brother, what am I good for? greeted Chad as he stepped aside to let EJ in.

"Is Malcolm here?" he asked.

"Um, he's actually out of town" he replied. "Why ask me?"

"You two seem to get on pretty well" said EJ. ,"Which is why I'll need you to deliver him a message right away".

"What is it?"

EJ lowered his voice. "Yesterday, a man approached me and Samantha asking if we knew of his whereabouts. We of course said no".

"Did he say his name?"

"He didn't have to" EJ replied bitterly. "We already knew him, especially Samantha. Percy Ruggles. Given our history with him, we have reason to believe that he has a plan involving Malcolm".

"I'll call and ask" said Chad. "I heard about Sonny's news. Will you go?"

"I'm going to support Samantha, who's going more for her granddaughter than for her ex-son-in law" he replied. "I understand that given your feud you won't attend".

Chad chuckled. "That's correct".

* * *

Malcolm found going by horse to the castle ridiculous. But he felt relieved that at least he could ride.

And so, he galloped all the way through the European valley, passed by a few houses and one or two farms, until he saw the high hill, which was all covered by trees. The closer he got, the most he saw, and even got to catch a glimpse of a tower.

_"I'm here"._

He looked behind, and saw the shadow of the city as the sun set.  _"And it wasn't that far"._

The horse slowed down when it reached the trees, and once Malcolm saw the back of the castle, he stopped and got down of the horse.

After putting on his CIA suit and getting armed, he looked at the animal, which shook the head and leaned down to eat some grass.

"Now what am I gonna do with you?" Malcolm muttered as he caressed the horse's neck. He looked a the castle. There was a small door, where a man in black was staring at him.

Malcolm clung onto his machine gun, and slowly approached.

"You Malcolm Horton?" asked the man, in a slight Italian accent.

"Who's asking?"

"Mr Chad DiMera said you were going to get here around this time" the man replied. He opened the small door. "I'm at your disposal".

Malcolm nodded, but gave him his backpack. "I appreciate it, but I gotta do this alone. Listen, take the horse and return it to the ranch just outside of the city. Then take my backpack to the DiMera jet in the airport and tell the pilot to wait for me at the landing track here in a couple hours. If God's on my side, I'll be bringing someone with me. Make sure to have medicines and stuff, 'cause I don't know how his condition is".

The man nodded and gave him a folded paper he tookwas out of his pocket. "Yes sir".

He took the backpack, got on the horse and galloped away.

Once they were gone, Malcolm unfolded the paper. It was a detailed map of the castle. Smirking, he entered, closing the door behind him.

He found himself in a dark hallway, which was only slightly illuminated by some torches. He walked slowly and quietly, knowing the hallway led to a secret door, which led to the main room. The hallway Malcolm was in was actually an escape route, to be used in case of emergency.

The closer he got to the end of the hallway, the clearer he heard some noises coming of the main room. He finally reached the secret door, and quietly opened it (inwards) only to find it covered by something white and soft.

 _"A painting"_ he thought.  _"Classic"._

Malcolm placed his ear close to the canvas, and heard a voice. A known voice.

"So, the prisoner's still here then. He seems to be in not such a bad shape after all".

_"Deimos"._

"However, the reactions I was expecting in Salem weren't shown, so I guess he has no use for me anymore. Actually, he hasn't been useful for quite some time. Ah, well. I'll be flying to the States today. I want him dead by tonight".

"Over my dead body" Malcolm muttered.

He loaded his machine gun and started firing through the painting, destroying it completely and revealing himself.

No time was given to Deimos's men to react, and one by one they started falling to the ground. Deimos had sheltered himself behing a couch.

Once the shooting stopped, Malcolm kicked aside a body as he reloaded his machine gun. "Get out of there, Deimos! I know what you did. I know you have my brother here. Tell me where he is, and I  _may_ let you go alive".

Deimos, slowly getting out of his hiding spot and putting his hands in the air, let out a soft, evil laugh. "Ah, Malcolm Horton, here to save the day once again".

Malcolm had Deimos at gunpoint, and it took all of his willpower not to shoot. "Why did you kidnap Will? How did you do it, if you were in prison by the time it happened?"

Deimos chuckled. "I see I have no other option but to tell. Fine, either way you and your poor big brother will be dead".

"Don't be so sure" said Malcolm.

"I studied my dear family in Salem very well while in prison" Deimos started. "It's not a secret that I wanted revenge against my brother for putting me there all those years for a crime I didn't commit. So, a few years before getting out, I met someone, a very kind gentleman who offered to help: Mr Percy Ruggles. He even inspired this idea. One of the best ways to make Victor suffer was to hurt the ones he loves the most. And that included his beloved nephew".

"Jackson".

"That's right. Ruggles helped me well. And how could dear Sonny suffer the most? By being hurt by a man he loved oh so much".

"My brother".

Deimos smirked. "That guy was more loyal than a dog. So we got a lookalike, who, after some surgery, was his living image. We gave him all his information. Ruggles made the change when he was alone with your brother, and Sonny took our guy home, believing it was Will. He played his part very well, and fooled everyone when that other guy was murdered and he tried to take the fall for it, believing it had been his dear husband. After the wedding, Ruggles called him to California for further instructions from me. We used EJ DiMera's 'death' and Samantha's grief as an excuse. The baby girl was unharmed. When he came, he made the move. He 'cheated', with Sonny's ex".

"That's not possible" said Malcolm. "Paul came from San Francisco, while your doppelganger went to Los Angeles. They didn't know about each other, Paul had nothing to do with your plan, he came to Salem for physical therapy".

"Oh, Paul was a happy coincidence" said Deimos. "Who do you think suggested him Salem. We found out about him while in California, and told him about the good treatment he could get here. Well, Ruggles did".

"You bastard" growled Malcolm. "All the hell they went through, it was all you".

"But then our plan hit a snag. Morality caught up with him. Not to mention Sonny left him. And next thing we knew, he had been murdered".

"So your plan failed".

"Oh no" said Deimos. "Victor did suffer for his beloved nephew. Even more after the death. But they forgot easily. They moved on pretty quick".

"Then why did you still keep Will here?"

"You want honesty?" he asked. He laughed. "I forgot! How stupid I was, I did not remember about him until you mentioned 'Bill Robin'!"

"And the letter?" asked Malcolm.

"Oh, I got it a long time ago. You see, after getting out of prison, I stopped by the castle to check on things, I believe he heard my name and figured I had taken him, because I got the letter a few days after I came to Salem. Of course, I did not know who Bill Robin was until later. By that time, I had had two people hostage, and even though one of them had already died, I figured it had been sent while he was still imprisoned. How the letter got to me is beyond me".

"Right. Hope told me you were also responsible for my uncle Bo's disappearance" said Malcolm. "You have no idea how bad I want to pull the trigger right now".

"But you won't" said Deimos with a smirk. "Because you don't just do an extrajudicial execution, and because we are not alone".

As in cue, more armed men came into the room, and fired at Malcolm, who, fast as a cat, jumped and sheltered himself behind another sofa. Deimos took advantage of the shootout and ran away.

Malcolm fired his machine gun furiously, leaving a lot of Deimos's hitmen out of action.

He caught a glimpse outside the window, and saw Deimos about to get in a helicopter that waited for him, not before throwing something small at the castle.

Whatever that was broke the window, and Malcolm saw it clearer in seconds, and his eyes widened. It was a grenade, which, to everyone's bad luck, impacted in the fireplace. Malcolm sheltered himself again, and the explosion was so hard it killed many more men, and left seriously injured others, but now the room, probably others, were on fire.

The fire spread rapidly, for a big part of the castle's structure was made of wood, so Malcolm had to find his brother quickly.

He got to many hallways, as the heavy smoke invaded everywhere, kicking many doors open, unsuccessfully.

But finally he got to a wooden door. He remembered Caroline telling them about her dream, and got closer. There was a Phoenix engraved in the doorknob, and there was also a sign underneath the small window the door had, although nothing could be seen through it.

 _"Non disturbare. Stanza privata"_ he read. He pressed his ears against the doorcastle, and his eyes widened when he heard some weak coughs from inside.

He tried to open the door. He kicked and hit thethe door, but it was locked. He triedwas to break the window but was made of tempered glass.

"Oh, that's it!" he exclaimed. He took his machine gun and shot as much as he could, practically destroying the knob.

He finally kicked the door open and entered. He inhaled sharply at the sight.

"My God".

Someone was indeed there.

"It's you. I found you".


	22. Chapter 22

"It's you. I found you".

A blond, not so tall young man lied on the floor, almost unconcious, as he coughed weakly and didn't seem able to stand up by himself. He wore filthy clothes, and though his face was clean and shaved, he looked emaciated and thinner than the person Malcolm had seen so many times in photos.

Malcolm made a quick check on him, but no scars or signs on violence were found.

_"So they just held him here, like an animal in a zoo"._

"Hey man" said Malcolm. "Hey, you alright? Can you see me? Can you say anything?"

The man opened his eyes slightly, and looked at Malcolm for the first time. They were blue like his and widened a bit in surprise, whether it was for the resemblance with him, or for seeing another person's face in years.

"Help me" he pleaded, almost in a whsper Malcolm could barely hear.

Malcolm cringed when he heard another explosion not too far from the room they were in. The quickly took a peek outside, and saw in horror how the smoke invaded the hall where the room was.

"I gotta get you out of here" he said as he leaned down next to the man. "What's your name?"

The man tried to breathe, barely making it, for the smoke was already filling the air.

"William Horton".

* * *

Chad and Abigail were having lunch at Mandalay with their son, family time they no longer had as often as they used to because of how busy they had been lately with work and, in Chad's case, helping out a friend.

"I'm so happy my little guy is starting to talk" was saying Chad as he fed, or tried to feed, Thomas with a small spoon the little boy rejected over and over. "Now, if only he could eat when I tell him".

He took the spoon back to the small plate, making Thomas make a complain sound, and finally accepting the food. Chad rolled his eyes and gave him the food, which his son happily ate.

"He likes to tease you a lot" Abby chuckled. "It's pretty obvious he took it from you, so it's your own fault".

"Whatever, that's not bothering me today" said Chad, as he wiped Thomas's mouth. "Soon enough Mommy's gonna teach you beautiful poems and Daddy's gonna teach you hilarious jokes and bad words".

"And that's my cue to take over" said Abby, grabbing the spoon from Chad's hand.

As they had a good time together, they almost didn't notice someone had approached them, who cleared his throat for them to notice him.

Chad looked up. "Oh, hey Lucas. What's up?"

"Hi, Uncle Lucas" greeted Abby.

"Hi Chad, Abigail" greeted Lucas. He even gave a happy wave to Thomas. "Hey, buddy! You're so big".

"Hi" said Thomas in a tiny voice.

Both his parents shared amazed glances before turning to the little boy.

"Oh my God, he said 'hi'!" Abby squealed.

"This is amazing!" Chad cheered as he caressed Thomas's cheek.

Lucas, feeling torn between confusion and amusement, watched them. "Wait, is that the first time he says that?"

"Yes!" they both replied.

"Ye'h" said Thomas, this time a little louder, starting to get excited by all the fuss around him.

"Oh wow!" Lucas acknowledged, as the couple got even more excited by Thomas's reply.

"Ye'h, ye'h, ye'h!" Thomas happily repeated as he jumped up and down on his seat.

After a few minutes of more laughs, squeals and weird looks from other customers, Chad and Abigail finally sobered up.

"Oh, and I thought I was gonna cry" said Abby with a wet laugh.

"You know, believe it or not, your reaction is kind of normal" said Lucas. "I know I reacted almost the same as you with my own children".

"Oh my God, imagine Sami" Chad laughed.

"Oh, don't remind me, I thought I was gonna go deaf or something" he said.

"So, um, Uncle Lucas" said Abby, once all the excitement finally was gone. "Did you want to speak to us?"

"Well, yes" he replied. "I was kind of wondering if any of you had seen Malcolm. I haven't heard from him since two days ago, and he's not answering my calls or anything".

"I haven't" said Abby. "Should we be worried? Maybe you'd like me to put a notice on the newspaper..."

"I saw him" Chad blurted out.

Both Abby and Lucas stared at him.

* * *

Malcolm slowly stood up.  _"I need a minute"._

He walked backwards and leaned on the wall as he looked at him.

His brother. His older brother was alive, right in front of his eyes.

_"Not exactly the nicest image I've seen of him"._

Another explosion was heard, and this time the floor trembled, making Malcolm lose his balance a bit.

"Ok, nice to meet you! We're out of here".

Malcolm carefully, but as quickly as possible, grabbed Will's arm and lifted him, plcing the arm around his shoulder. "Can you walk?"

He looked at him, who was drifting in and out of conciousness, and sighed. "Fine, I'll take care of it".

He slowly took Will outside, step by step, for his poor brother was indeed way too weak to walk. The smoke was up, touching the ceiling, which he took advantage of before it got down.

He looked back and saw the fire spreading. There was more in front of him. Fortunately, still not in a too dangerous level for him to pass through it.

They slowly moved until they reached the end of the hallway, which led to a big room.

Malcolm had just stepped foot in it when shots were fired against them.

"What the hell!" he yelled, reacting in fraction of second and pushing back , gently but quickly, his brother, and both dropped themselves to the floor.

Feeling that Will was tensing again, Malcolm slowly got up, and took out his machine gun, which had been hanging from his back.

"This will probably disturb you more, but it's our only option!"

Malcolm started firing right and left, and his shots were reciprocated by more. However he heard loud thumps, which he knew meant he had hit them.

After a few minutes, he stopped. When no more shots were fired, he lifted Will again and walked across the burning room.

They were reaching a destroyed door, which communicated the room they were in with the main room of the castle, when suddenly Malcolm heard something behing them.

He turned around to see how a man had stood up and pointed a gun at him. A bang was heard and Malcolm felt a pain on his arm.

"Ow, son of a bitch!"

To his surprise, Will took the machine gun from him, which still hanged around Malcolm's body, and fired, hitting the man.

They leaned against the wall.

"You ok?" Will asked.

"It's alright, it's just a scratch" he replied, watching his bleeding arm, and still shocked by Will's sudden reaction. He seemed to be a little better, though Malcolm was sure what had his brother have that strenght at the moment was the adrenaline.

About his arm, he was right. The bullet had fortunately grazed him, though that didn't mean it didn't hurt like a son of a bitch.

As he used a cloth he had on his pocket to bind up his arm as he could, Malcolm felt eyes on him. Will was indeed staring at him with curiosity. Though he seemed stronger, at least temporarily, his voice was still raspy and weak.

"Who are you?"

Malcolm looked at him in the eyes and sighed. "I'm your brother".

Will frowned. "Johnny?"

Malcolm chuckled. "No, no. My name's Malcolm. I'm actually a half-brother you never knew about until last year. We share the same father".

Will looked at him and narrowed his eyes. "You're lying".

Before Malcolm could answer, a beam fell from the ceiling and impacted close to them. Malcolm finished with his arm and took Will again.

"How about we get out first? I'll prove to you that I'm honest".

Though Will had seen a little resemblance to him in the guy, he hadn't seen it all, for the smoke and the dark prevented him. But there was something in him that made him trust him, so he nodded.

Malcolm and Will walked across the main room and finally reached the exit door, which easily opened, for the golden hinges had melted, and the door had disengaged.

The sudden fresh air they felt hit them and they breathed as deep as they could, finding the strenght to walk more. They slowly walked across the gardens. Malcolm turned around to see the castle burning now some metres away.

_"Knowing the DiMeras, this can't be the first time this happens"._

A strong sound was heard, which let Malcolm know they were close to where the jet was.

Indeed, Malcolm saw the jet not too far away.

"Alright, come on, Will. Just a few more steps".

They walked faster, and after some minutes, they finally reached the plane, and slowly climbed the stairs and entered it.

Inside, the man Malcolm had sent was standing, waiting for them. When he saw Malcolm carrying Will, he instantly went to help them.

"The castle's on fire" said Malcolm. "We must go now".

"The jet is being fueled" said the man, as he helped Malcolm put Will on a small sofa. "It will take one or two hours. It's a long flight".

"Whatever" he replied. He looked at another man in a suit, someone he hadn't seen before. "Who are you?"

"That's Dr Luciani" said the man. "He speaks English too".

"Pleased to meet you" said Luciani. "I was told a hostage situation was being dealt with and was asked to come to check on the ex-prisoner".

Malcolm exhaled, and turned to his brother. "You have to be checked out, Will. Will?"

Will was lying on the couch, passed out.

* * *

Lucas stared at Chad. "You've seen him?"

"Um, yeah, I have" he replied.

"Well?"

Chad hesitated. "Um, I saw him a few days ago. Said something about leaving town for a while... Top secret, you know? At least, he didn't want to say why".

Knowing that Abigail wasn't aware of what Malcolm did for a living, Lucas just nodded. "Alright, then. Didn't he say where?"

Chad looked away for a second, and caught a glimpse of someone hiding behind a plant. Recalling EJ's warning, he know who that had to be.

"I don't think so" Chad lied, in a very loud voice. "I don't know, he seemed in a hurry. Although he did mention something about going to New Jersey".

"Chad, are you alright?" asked Abigail.

"Yeah, I'm great" Chad practically shouted. "You know me, sometimes I whisper, sometimes I talk, sometimes I just yell!"

"No, you don't" she said. "Chad, you're acting weird".

"I'm not acting weird" he insisted. "Like I was saying, I think Malcolm said something about New Jersey".

"Did he say for how long?" asked Lucas.

"A week or so" he replied.

Just in that moment, he motioned as if he was going to look around them, but actually trying to look at the plant where he knew Percy Ruggles was hiding. He managed to see him going away, and smirked.

_"That'll keep him busy"._

Abigail finished her plate and tossed a napkin on the table. "Whatever, I must get going. Gotta pick a dress and a little suit for tomorrow".

She got up and picked up Thomas.

"Oh, right, the wedding" said Lucas.

"That's right" she said, kissing Chad goodbye and waving at him. "Bye!"

Once they were gone, Lucas sighed and joined Chad. "Talk about a big long day".

Chad smirked. "So you think it's way too rushed too, huh?"

"Yeah, in part" he replied. "It's also the part where I don't find the couple... Right".

"Nice to know I'm not the only one".

"Is that why you're not going?"

"I'm not going because of the feud between our families  _and_ because I don't approve the union" he replied. "The only DiMeras allowed there are Abby and my son, and that's because they're Sonny's relatives".

Lucas nodded.

Chad raised an eyebrow. "Why are  _you_ going if you don't approve either?"

"Sonny really wants us there" he replied. "And Abby and Thomas aren't the only DiMeras who're going. EJ will be there too".

"EJ's going for his love for Sami" he said. "And because he doesn't consider himself a DiMera anymore. Well, at least not one under Father's orders anyway. More like a free DiMera".

"And you?"

Chad grinned. "I like to consider myself a free spirit in the Mansion. Something Father can touch but not manipulate. I'm different, the only one who actually has a chance to restore the DiMera family's honor. Like a white sheep".

"You mean black sheep".

"Oh, Lucas. In a black flock, you gotta be white to be different".

* * *

Dr Luciani checked Will's pulse. "The patient is exhausted and in shock. On better circumstances I'd suggest he goes to a hospital, but I understand there are risks for him here".

Malcolm nodded. "Ok. What time is it?"

Chad's man checked his watch. "Almost 10 pm. If you take off now you might be landing in Salem by 9 am, American time".

"Can we fly, doctor?" he asked.

"I don't think there's a problem" said Luciani. "I can give him a little sedative so he can rest. It's possible that he can wake up before you land".

"That's alright, I'll handle him" he said.

"Ok, then" said Malcolm. Then, he and the man stepped aside to let Luciani work.

"Any news on the castle?" he asked in a low voice.

"The damage is serious" said the man. "But  _i vigili del fuoco_ are already there, putting away the fire. The  _castello_ might have to be demolished and rebuilt".

"Of course" he said as he rolled his eyes.

He took out his phone and called Chad, who answered after a few seconds.

_"Malcolm, hey. I just saw your dad, he's worried about you"._

"Really?" he said, frowning. "Oh, right, I couldn't tell him I was gonna get out, what did he say?"

_"He's just worried, you know. Asked if we had heard of you, your whereabouts"._

"And what did you say?"

_"That you were in New Jersey on some secret thing. Don't ask, it's the first thing I came up with. And besides, there's something else you must know. Someone's out there looking for you"._

"Percy Ruggles?"

_"How'd you know?_

"How did  _you_ know?"

_"EJ visited last night. The guy's in town, apparently looking for you"._

Malcolm sighed. "You did good sending him away. The man's Deimos's accomplice".

_"I knew it. I knew Deimos couldn't have been working alone. And speaking about that, how did everything go?"_

Malcolm hesitated. "Some bad news first. The castle's in a pretty bad shape. It's practically destroyed".

_"What happened?"_

"Deimos happened. He threw a grenade, killed some of his men, and set the castle on fire. I had to act very quickly".

_"So, does that mean...?"_

"Yes, Chad" Malcolm smiled. "I got Will. He's alive and well".

There was silence on the other side of the line. "Chad?"

 _"Yeah, yeah, I'm still here"_ Chad said.  _"Just... Wow. He's fine, I still can't believe this. May I... May I talk to him?"_

Malcolm turned to his brother, who slept peacefully on the sofa. "He's sedated. I'm sorry".

_"That's alright. I'm just so glad he's ok. Hey, tell him I said hi, will you?"_

"Will do" he replied. "Send me pictures of everyone, as many as you can".

_"Alright. Are you taking off soon?"_

"As soon as the doctor finishes checking on Will, yeah".

_"Ok, I'll make sure you guys get safely here. I want you both at the mansion as soon as you arrive in Salem"._

They talked for a few more minutes, said their goodbyes and hung up.

Luciani approached Malcolm "The patient's ready to fly. No internal nor external injuries were found in him. But he's very tired, and he'll sleep for most of the flight".

"Thank you, doc" said Malcolm.

"Won't you want me to check on that?" he asked, pointing at Malcolm's bandaged arm.

Malcolm shrugged it off. "It's just a scratch".

"At least, let me see it won't get infected".

Malcolm let him, and Luciani took off the bandage of his arm.

"Impressive the way you bandaged yourself" he observed. "Do you happen to study medicine?"

"Summer camp" Malcolm lied.

Luciani applied some cream on the wound and changed the bandages.

"All done, I will go" he finally said with a small bow.

"Thank you, doc" Malcolm said again.

Once Luciani was out of the plane, the man walked to him. "I must go, sir".

"You're not coming to the States?"

"I live here" said the man. "I'm now out of a job, so I have to find a new one".

"Ok, good luck"

" _Grazie,_ good luck, sir".

The man got off the jet, closing the door behind him. And Malcolm dropped himself on a seat.

"Sir?" said the pilot, emerging from the other cabin. "The smoke has dissipated on the most part. We are ready to fly. Shall we?".

"Be my guest" he replied.

Some minutes passed and the jet started moving. Then, it moved faster.

Soon enough, they were in the air, leaving Italy, to freedom.

* * *

"Ah, you're back" said Victor, as he drank a cup of tea.

"Told you" said Deimos as he walked into the living room and put his suitcase next to him.

"So, how did it go?" Victor asked.

"Oh, Rome is still the DiMera bastion" Deimos dismissed. "There's no interest nor intention for anyone there to ally with Titan. The meeting was a disaster".

"You came pretty fast" Victor observed, flashing to what Malcolm had said. "You couldn't have been there more than a couple hours".

Deimos shrugged. "Sometimes things don't go as planned, brother".

Victor raised an eyebrow. "Did you hear the big news?"

"About dear Sonny eloping again? I did" he replied. "It's tomorrow, isn't it? Can't wait".

"Tomorrow, 10 am at the park" said Victor.

"I'll be there. Now if you excuse me, I'll go unpack and take care of a few things".

Said that, Deimos turned around and headed out of the room, with the intention of going upstairs.

"You're up to something" said Victor.

Deimos stopped, and turned around again. "What do you mean?"

"Just that" he replied. "Malcolm Horton isn't your main target, it seems".

"You're wrong, it is" said Deimos, as he smirked. "In fact, I believe Malcolm Horton won't be a nuisance anymore".

* * *

Abigail and Gabi walked through the square as Ari and Thomas walked in front of them holding hands. Ari, being older than Thomas, had been given the responsibility of taking care of him.

Both women were looking at the different stores looking for dresses and suits for them and for their children.

"I still can't believe how fast this is all going" Abby was saying. "One day, Sonny calls to say he's gotten engaged. The next day, he calls to say he's getting married tomorrow. who does that? How am I supposed to be stunning by tomorrow?"

"Aw, you  _will_ be stunning! At least for Chad that's for sure" said Gabi. "I find kinda original that he invited everyone over the phone instead of sending real invitations, though".

"Still, I'm so getting something really good to wear".

"Alright then- Ari, come back here!" she said, calling her daughter. But suddenly, her face went white when she heard a voice behind her.

"Greetings!"

Both Gabi and Abigail turned around, as their children hid behind their legs.

Percy Ruggles was smiling at them. "I cannot believe this. It has been such a long time!"

"Oh my God" Gabi blurted out.

"It  _has_ been a long time, indeed" Ruggles continued. "How's the baby? Oh, there she is!"

He waved at Ari, who just glared at him suspiciously. "Hello there! She's so big, let me tell you. And who is this little boy?"

"That would be my son" said Abby. "My husband and I are very happy with him".

"I'm glad to hear that".

Then, Ruggles turned to Gabi. "I understand your daughter's father had his own partner. I wonder where he might be, he was such a nice young man".

"Um, he passed away a few years ago" said Gabi.

"Oh" said Ruggles, geting serious. "I am so sorry for your loss. He was a very happy young man, I could tell".

"Yeah, it was a terrible night" Abigail intervened. "Anyway, we should get going, we have some urgent things to do".

"Ah, don't let me stop you, go, go. I have some things to do as well. I'd love to stay and chat, but I have a flight to New Jersey to catch".

Gabi frowned. "New Jersey?"

"Yes, yes. You see, there's an International Book Fair there and I am planning to get a book about meadow birds I've been trying to find for months. Ladies".

He tilted his head and walked away.

Gabi followed him with her look until he was gone, and turned to Abby, lowering her voice. "Oh my God!"

"I know!"

"How the hell! I really thought I'd never see him again! I swear, he's the weirdest guy ever!" she ranted. "He knew about what had happened with Nick, and he's so two-faced, ugh!"

"Hey, Gabi!" Abby said. "Stop freaking out! He's leaving, remember? Now stop thinking about him!"

"I'll try" said Gabi, as Ari and Thomas started walking again. "Oh, God, did you see how Ari reacted? She might not remember the guy, but she certainly knows he's not reliable".

"Speaking of that" she said. "How is Ari doing with Paul and Sonny marrying?"

Gabi rolled her eyes. "She  _so_ doesn't like Paul being with Sonny. Oh, dear, I don't know what I'm gonna do to make her stay quiet and still during the ceremony".

"She thinks her daddy is irreplaceable" said Abby. "I think it's cute. She'll come around eventually, you'll see. Now, can we go in that store and buy that amazing dress before someone else does?"

"Um, yeah!" she replied, and both girls, laughing and taking their children with them, entered the store.

* * *

Several hours later, Malcolm startled awake by a sound next to him. The lights were off, it was dark outside and he could only hear the sound of the jet flying, probably over the ocean, but he could definitely perceive a silhouette.

He rubbed his eyes and turned the lights on. "You're awake".

Will nodded.

"How're you feeling?"

"Better" Will replied. "Not so strong yet, but I definitely not feel sick anymore".

"Good, that's good".

They stayed in silence for a while, not knowing what to say.

"What time is it?" Malcolm asked.

"It's hard to tell" said Will. "I'm not sure of where we are".

Malcolm shrugged.

"At the castle" Will continued. "At the castle, you said... You said you were my brother".

"I am" said Malcolm. "Lucas is our father".

Will shook his head. "I'm sorry, I just find that so hard to believe".

"It's understandable" he replied. "Lucas didn't think it was possible either. But it's the truth. My name is Malcolm Riley Horton, and I'm your brother".

"Pleased to meet you" said Will, shaking his hand. "William Robert Horton. But of course you already knew that".

Malcolm chuckled.

Will looked around. "Who's plane is this?"

"This is the DiMera jet" he replied. "Chad lent me it to come and rescue you".

"You're friends with Chad?" he asked. "Oh my, how is he? Is he ok? The last time I saw him, he was recovering..."

"He's fine" Malcolm said. "He's now the CEO of DiMera Enterprises, is happily married to Abigail and has a son".

"Oh, wow" Will smiled. "How great, I can't wait to meet them".

"There's also something you must see" said Malcolm, scrolling throught the pictures on his phone Chad had sent him. He then showed him one of them.

Will took the phone, and stared at the picture in awe.

"Oh my God" he said, voice breaking, as tears started falling down his face. "That's Ari? That's my sweet Ari?"

"That's indeed her" he said.

Will sobbed and cried for a few more minutes while he started looking at the other pictures of Ari Malcolm had. "She's so beautiful and so, so big. I can't believe I missed so much of her short life".

"Come on, it's not that bad" Malcolm tried to console. "Her life is gonna be full of so many milestones you'll never miss again".

"What's the date?" Will asked.

"We're in April 2018".

"Wow" Will sniffed. "I've been captive four years. How I survived is beyond me".

He looked at another picture of Ari. In there, Ari happily played with a stuffed animal. Will was about to pass to the next one, when he noticed someone in the backround. He looked closer.

"Sonny" he murmured.

"I'm sorry?" Malcolm asked.

"Sonny" Will repeated. "Do you know him?"

"Oh, yeah, Jackson. We don't get on very well" he admitted.

"How is he?"

Malcolm hesitated for a moment. She knew Sonny had moved on and had a wedding to take place soon. But what she didn't know was how he would break those news to his brother. So, he decided to make some time as he thought.

"Don't you wanna know about your family and everything that's been going on in Salem?" he evaded.

"Um, yeah, of course" he replied.

Malcolm told Will everything he had missed during his years in captivity. Nick's murder, EJ's apparent death, Sami fleeing the country with Stefano's money, the messy love triangle between Adrienne, Justin and Lucas, Bo's death and Thomas's birth and so much more he felt appropiate to tell. But he made sure to keep the names of Sonny, Paul, and even his doppelganger from the story for he wasn't sure how he would react.

"It's all ok" said Will. "But I want to know about Sonny".

Malcolm looked at the window. The sun had risen, meaning they'd be in Salem really soon.

"Look, I know someone took my place in Salem" Will continued. "I want to know what he's done. I want to know if Sonny ever figured out that wasn't me".

Malcolm sighed. "No one did. They guy was a very, very good actor, and fooled everyone. That's pretty much why no one except Chad knows I'm bringing you back".

"Chad believed you?"

"He's a pretty good friend, you know?"

Will nodded. That reassured him a little. Someone would definitely have his back once he revealed himself to everyone.

"Sonny and your double got married in April, not too long after Ruggles and Deimos took you".

Will nodded slowly. "Ok. I can handle that. What else".

"Your double changed his career in Literature and went straight to journalism, writing some horrible stuff about your own family for a magazine. And then he went to LA with Sami after EJ's 'death'. Sonny's ex, Paul, arrived in town during that time. The guy came back and... Well, he cheated on Sonny with Paul".

Will made a disgusted face. "Son of a bitch".

"I wish that was it" Malcolm said. "Your double got himself in a whirlwind of lies, manipulation and blackmail. By mid August, your name was very infamous around town".

"Why mid August?"

"It seems your double began to feel remorse about everything. But it was too late". Malcolm breathed deeply. "Sonny left him, and moved to France".

Will's face was stern.

"And two months later, he was murdered". Malcolm exhaled. "Isn't it ironic? Apparently Sonny had just decided to take him back just when that happened. Some time later, he came back, still grieving, and in the end, he and Paul reconnected. I'm sorry, Will. Last thing I heard from them before I came to the castle... They've gotten engaged".

When he looked at Will, a few tears were falling down his face. Will sniffed and wiped them away. "So... Everyone thinks I'm dead and Sonny's moved on".

"At least Ari doesn't like Paul" Malcolm offered.

Will chuckled wetly. "She must be five by now".

"Still four" he said. "We'll just in time for her fifth birthday".

Will nodded. "Thank you for telling me. Now I know what I'll be facing when we get there".

Suddenly, the plane trembled, and the lights went off and on.

"What the hell?" said Malcolm.

The plane trembled more, and started shaking violently, making them lose their balances.


	23. Chapter 23

_January 2014..._

_Will arrived at the river. He had woken up before Sonny and gone there, probably to clear the head._

_What Sonny had told him about what had happened with Nick, Sami, Gabi and Kate was still in his mind, and he threw a few rocks to the water while remembering it._

_"Greetings!" said a voice from behind him._

_Will slowly turned around to see Percy Ruggles there, wit his coat and binoculars like always._

_"My apologies" he said. "I didn't mean to disturb your reverie, young man"._

_"That's ok" Will shrugged._

_"Mesmerizing, isn't it?" said Ruggles, stepping forward and next to Will, close to the river edge. "The never ending flow. I like to come down here myself, and watch. I_ love  _to watch"._

_"Uh" said Will, crossing his arms. "You love to watch what?"_

_"The Progne subis" he replied. "But of course, they winter in Brazil"._

_Will nodded. "Of course"._

_"In fact, most of the usual suspects are out of town, so to speak" Ruggles explained. "And so one finds oneself looking at some very odd things instead. It's a tricky time of year here on the river... So cold... And so lethal"._

_He looked at Will, who got distracted looking at the river, and hit him on the back of his neck. Will fell unconcious._

_"Ah" said Ruggles. "You can come out now!"_

_An exact lookalike of Will came out from behind of some bushes. His resemblance to him was horrifyingly genuine._

_Once they hid Will behind the bushes, and the doppelganger had changed clothes with him, Ruggles patted him on the shoulder._

_"You shall not worry about anything else but playing your part well" he said. "Don't worry about him. I'll inject him something that will keep him asleep until we're long gone"._

_"And you will carry him alone?" the guy asked._

_"Certainly not" Ruggles replied. He checked his watch. "Ah, his partner must be looking for him. Let's get prepared for when he comes"._

_"I'm all ears"._

_"Well, you already know every single detail of what's been going on all this time" he said. "I could sense some tension in this young man. He's certainly worried about what happened with Mr Fallon, that's for sure. You see, I overheard them talking about it in their home"._

_"You followed them?"_

_"Mr Kiriakis's orders"_

_"And how's Fallon doing, by the way?"_

_"Ah, he'll be just fine" Ruggles replied. "He doesn't know about this 'exchange' so not a word, ok?"_

_The guy nodded. "Whatever. Now, what were you and Horton just talking about? I got caught up memorizing his life I didn't pay attention"._

_"Oh, just about the river. How this time of the year can be cold, and even lethal"._

_"Lethal, huh?" he said. "How is it, uh, how is it lethal?"_

_Ruggles explained to him about some irregularities at the bottom of the river, especifically an obstruction, that caused an eddy and created a wicked current. Something basic any woodsman would know. He personally thought it might be a squirrel._

_"In fact, Heaven knows what else one might find if we..."_

_"Will!" said Sonny, as they both turned around, running towards them. "Will, there you are"._

"Not bad"  _the lookalike thought, glancing at his new partner._

_"Ah!" said Ruggles, now in character. "Now I remember you. It all comes clear to me now"._

_The guy scoffed. "Well, I'm not sure what you think it's clear, but I..."_

_"He was Santa Claus at the Horton Town Square, remember?" said Sonny._

_The doppelganger glanced at Ruggles, genuinely surprised. "You..."_

_"Well, actually, I was a poor stand-in" Ruggles dismissed. "The only lists I mind in well are those of the indigenous flora and fauna"._

_Ruggles admitted having met Gabi, Kate and Sami there. He even admitted they had tried to fool him, but he had seen through them. However, he said he had promised to keep mum._

_He turned to the guy, and gave him a discreet nod, a way to tell him it was time to go._

_"You're shaking, young man" he said, as the guy started acting so._

_"Oh, yeah. He, uh, forgot his heavy coat" said Sonny, putting a coat around the lookalike. "That's why I came to find you"._

_"Yeah, how did you find me, by the way?" the guy asked, finally in character. "How'd you know where I was?"_

_"You took your boots" Sonny replied, glancing at his feet._

_"That is excellent deductive reasoning" said Ruggles, now behind them. "You should be a detective. "Well,_ adieu,  _young friends. A brisk hike awaits me over those downs. Until we meet again"._

_Said this, he walked away._

_Once he was gone, the guy, now totally posing as Will, played a good freak out about Ruggles probably knowing about their secret. Sonny finally, after a_ long  _discussion, 'convinced' him Ruggles didn't._

_"Let's go home" he said. "See our little girl"._

_The man, 'reluctantly', stood up and took his hand, letting Sonny lead him._

_Sonny was so worried and eager to take him home, he never noticed the tiny smirk the doppelganger had on his face._

_They were long gone by the time Ruggles returned, this time accompanied by a strange man. They went behind the bushes and took a still unconcious Will out of there._

_Ruggles took out a syringe and injected a strange substance in him._

_"Is the helicopter ready?" he asked._

_The man nodded._

_"Good"._

_They carried Will away._

* * *

_Present - 2018_

The plane shook and trembled violently as both Malcolm and Will lost their balances. The lights went on and off over and over again.

"We're hitting some heavy turbulence!" said the voice of the captain over the speakers.

"Hold on tight, Will!" said Malcolm. Suddenly, he felt a hard, painful grip on his wounded arm. "OW! NOT OF ME!"

He turned to glare at his brother only to see the most pale face he had ever seen. Will looked like he was about to throw up, faint, or both.

"Man, what's the matter?"

Will didn't answer.

Malcolm got it. "Oh. Acrophobia, isn't it?"

"I've been awake for like an hour" Will said. "I've been so caught up missing my loved ones to realize I've been on a plane all this time".

"Ah, it happens when you've been kidnapped" Malcolm joked.

The plane shook harder and then, it remained still, flying normally.

Malcolm grinned. " _Now_  I know you're the real Will Horton!"

"We've flown across a small storm" said the captain over the speakers. "It most likely won't happen again. We've reached American air space, and we'll be landing in less than an hour.

"Home, sweet home, huh?" Malcolm said.

Will caught his breath, and looked sick again.

"And now I'll get some water and maybe something to eat" he added, quickly going to the other cabin.

He returned with water and some fruit. "Sorry, it's all we got. We were such in a hurry to get you that we couldn't go and fill the pantries".

"It's alright" his brother replied, picking an apple and eating it shyly, but with some anxiety.

"You certainly must be hungry. Did they try to starve you to death?"

Will thought about it. "Surprisingly no. I mean, it wasn't that bad, but it was meant to be not nutritious at all".

"I can gather by the way you look" Malcolm observed. "I mean no offense, but you  _are_ in a pretty bad shape".

"Happens when you're kidnapped" Will grinned weakly. "So, this is the DiMera jet, huh?"

"It has a shower, can you believe that?"

"Then I'll take a shower, I stink".

Malcolm chuckled. "There are some clothes in the bathroom"

Ten minutes later, Will came back, wearing better clothes than the ones he had used and sat next to his brother. "I do feel better now"

"Chad says hi, by the way" said Malcolm. "He's been really supportive of this operation, actually".

"Why didn't anyone believe you?"

"You know there's a tomb with your name on it" Malcolm explained. "I brought your parents and EJ there to exhumate the coffin because I thought you had been stolen and revived somewhere. But we found the body of your double. I made sure some tests were ran without their knowledge to prove that wasn't you. It was so complicated, and I didn't want to get everyone's hopes up. Sonny of course didn't believe me either. If he didn't like me before, he hates me now, because he thinks I exhumed  _you_ for no reason".

"Oh yeah, why's that? How come he's so hostile against you? As far as I'm concerned, he's a really friendly guy".

"I look a lot like you".

Something in Will awakened. Sonny hated Malcolm because he reminded him of Will. Deep inside, Sonny might still not be over him. Maybe he could fight for Sonny after all. Of course, he'd have to evaluate the whole situation first. "But Chad likes and believe you, and he's Sonny's best friend. He should have talked to him".

Malcolm grimaced. "Yeah, they aren't friends anymore. The DiMera-Kiriakis feud started again, you know? Chad saw Sonny moving on with Paul as a betrayal, not to mention he felt horrible for pushing you, well, your double, away. Did you know he visited that grave very regularly when he thought you were in there?"

Will smiled. "I've really missed him. I've missed everyone. And Ari, oh my God, I wanna see her so bad! Not to mention, I'm so looking forward to meet Chad and Abby's son".

"You will, there have been so many changes while you've been gone. Not that I noticed, I've been in town less than a year".

Will looked at him better. "Maybe all the emotions of me being rescued prevented me from noticing, but now I'd like to ask. How old are you? You really look like me, but way younger".

Malcolm grinned. "Eighteen. Soon to be nineteen in a few months".

"Get out! And what's with the guns?"

"Well, if didn't believe I was your brother before, I highly doubt you'll believe this" he replied. "I'm a CIA agent".

He showed him his badge and credential.

"Unbelievable, isn't it?"

Will nodded.

"So, what's the plan?" he asked, starting to feel better. "I can't just walk around town like nothing happened".

"You like big entrances, don't you?" Malcolm teased.

Will chuckled. "No, I mean, I wouldn't like to cause such a shock".

"You're back from the dead" said Malcolm. "Whether your family is prepared or not, seeing you again is so gonna shock them. Look at Chad, for example. He's prepared, but I  _bet_ he'll cry like a baby when he sees you".

"I'd like to see that" Will joked. "What about the others? I wonder if Ari will recognise me".

"Maybe, she's seen your pictures very often" Malcolm replied. "But first, we're going to the DiMera mansion".

Will frowned. "Why?"

His brother shrugged. "No idea. Maybe Chad wants to be the first one to see you back. Not to mention this is his plane, and Deimos is still out there. Oh right, he wants us there for your own security".

"Alright then" he said.

"We'll land in the private landing track the DiMeras have near Salem, it's safer".

As in cue, the captain's voice was heard again. "We're close to our destination. Please go back to your seats and fasten your seatbelts".

Malcolm and Will did as the captain said, while the jet started flying down.

"I'm nervous" said Will. "I'm so, so nervous".

"Don't worry, man" said Malcolm. "We'll get past this. We'll help you claim your life back".

"Prepare for landing" said the captain's voice again.

Both brothers looked through the window, and saw how they passed across the clouds, and saw green valleys and forests. In the distance, a small town could be seen.

 _"Salem"_ Will thought.

The ground looked closer, and soon the trees were next to them.

A hit underneath them indicated the plane had finally landed. It moved forward, slowing down, until it finally stopped.

Malcolm turned to Will, who looked thrilled and scared at the same time.

"Welcome home".

* * *

There was a lot of movement at the mansion. And Abigail was the only one causing it.

"The wedding's in like half hour, where the hell is my purse?!"

"How about you look in your drawer?" Chad asked, clearly disturbed by his wife's scandal.

"Urgh!" Abby groaned, and ran upstairs.

Stefano, pissed off, entered the living room. "I swear, if that girl wasn't married to you..."

"Father, please stop talking" said Chad. "I don't need any more conflict in this house".

Stefano rolled his eyes, and noticed Chad was actually preparing some drinks. "Are we expecting visitors?".

"Actually" he said. "I was kind of hoping we were expecting a guest. I think there's a room available close to mine".

Stefano lifted an eyebrow. "A guest? Who?"

"Can't say yet" Chad replied.

"Found it!" Abigail announced as she walked downstairs with Thomas and opened the door. "I'll probably be back in the afternoon, bye!"

"Bye!" said Chad, while Stefano turned around and nodded at her.

Chad sighed. "Look, you'll know soon. I need him to arrive first".

"I won't ask any questions" said Stefano. "God knows you're like a rock when it comes to giving answers you don't want to give".

"Thank you".

Stefano gave him a dismissive wave of his hand and slowly went upstairs.

Chad rolled his eyes.  _"Malcolm better be here with Will soon"._

* * *

Sonny finished getting ready in front of a mirror. A few knocks were heard before his parents entered the room.

"Surreal, isn't it?" said Justin, behind him.

"Oh trust me, I can't believe this is already happening either" said Sonny, finishing with his tie, and facing them. "Not complaining, though. I kinda like it".

"We're just so, so happy for you" said Adrienne. "We're really glad you've found happiness again".

Sonny smiled. "I thought all my chances had died the day Will died. I was wrong. I was so, so wrong".

Adrienne smiled at him, and offered her arm. "Shall we?"

"Ok" he laughed, taking her arm and walking out.

* * *

Malcolm found the limousine that picked them up too much. Will didn't seem to mind. He figured that would be Chad's welcome gift or something like that.

And so there they were, on their way to the DiMera Mansion. The trip didn't last too much. It didn't take long for them to see the sign on a side of the highway.

_WELCOME TO SALEM_

_Peaceful and loving since 1815_

"Talk about ironies" Malcolm murmured, knowing all the events that had taken place in town before, including the present one.

"Wow" said Will. "I never realized how much I've missed this place".

"What did you do there?" Malcolm asked.

Will shrugged. "Mostly plead for my freedom. I lost track of time there, you know? I've read some stuff, people tend to go insane during a long time of captivity. I wonder how it didn't happen to me".

"You must have had something to fight for" he suggested.

"Ari" he replied. "My parents. Sonny. So many people I love and care about".

The limousine stopped at a red light, and another limousine passed on the street across the one they were in.

Malcolm frowned when he saw it.  _"Weird"._

"Anyway" said Will. "I'm just eager to see everyone again. Do you think Chad has gathered everyone at the mansion?"

"Probably" said Malcolm, still frowning when he saw another limousine.  _"What the hell's going on here?"_

The traffic lights changed to green, and the limousine moved forward.

"Oh wait" said Will, as they passed by a building. He sighed. "We could've stopped there".

Malcolm glanced at him. "Why?"

"Maybe Sonny's still there. Maybe, I don't know, maybe I can let him know I'm ok".

"What are you talking about?" asked his brother. "Why would Jackson be there of all places?"

"He... He doesn't live there?"

"He lives at the Kiriakis Mansion, obviously" Malcolm shrugged. "Why?".

Will's face fell. "We used to live there before... Um..."

Malcolm nodded. He understood. "Sorry. That I did not know".

"It's ok" he said. "I figure it had to happen. Since I 'died'... Does Ari live with him?"

"No" he replied. "She's with Gabi".

Will let out a sigh in relief. Malcolm figured he wasn't fond of the Kiriakises anymore.  _"Except his precious Jackson"._

The limousine finally got to another street, and pulled over in front of the imposing building that was the DiMera Mansion.

They got off the car and stepped in front of the door.

"So, here we are" said Will, visibly nervous.

"Yeah" said Malcolm. "So, you wanna knock or I do it?"

Will looked at him, and, nervously, knocked twice on the door.

A minute or two passed, and the door opened. Harold, the butler, was there, and didn't recognise Will.

"Ah, Mr Horton, so glad you're back. Mr DiMera is expecting you in the living room".

"Thanks" they said at the same time.

Harold stepped aside and let them in.

Chad was showing his back to the door of the room.

"Chad" said Malcolm. "We're here".

Chad was starting to get red-eyed. The moment was more than he had expected. But he didn't turn around.

"Come on, man" said Malcolm. "Won't you say hi?"

"Hi, Chad" Will finally said.

Chad closed his eyes. That was Will's voice, it was definitely his voice. He finally turned around and let out a mix of a gasp and a sob when he saw him.

"Hey" said Will, smiling at him.

Chad slowly walked towards him. "You... You're back. It's really you".

"Yeah, it is" Will replied.

Chad placed his hand on the back of Will's neck, and pulled him in a giant hug.

Will closed his eyes, hugging him too.

"I missed you so much" Chad cried.

"Me too" he said. "I never thought I'd ever see anyone here again".

Chad chuckled wetly, and pulled away, examining his friend's face. "You look like hell".

"Thanks" Will replied, smiling. "Not planning on keeping this look, though".

"What on Earth is going on here?" said a voice from the lobby.

The trio turned around to see Stefano stopping dead in his tracks, at the sight of them.

"My Lord" said Stefano. "William. You're alive!"

"And this time it wasn't your doing at all" Malcolm joked.

Chad sniffed and turned away to wipe his tears away. He hated looking like that in front of his Father, even though that had already happened many times before.

Stefano chuckled as he patted Will on the shoulder. "This is amazing news! Ah, this is going to be such a wonderful day for Salem".

Will chuckled. "Thanks".

"How did this happen?" Stefano asked. "Where were you?"

"He was at the mansion" Malcolm said. "By the way, Deimos destroyed the castle. He used a grenade".

"Of course" said Stefano, clenching his fists. "Just wait until I get my hands on..."

"Oh, Heaven" said Andre, as he entered the room too with a grin on his face. "What a  _incredible_  surprise! Will Horton in the flesh, back from the dead".

Will turned and glared at him. " _You're_ alive?"

Andre rolled his eyes. "So nice to see you too. I'll tell my story of how I came back some other time".

"Not that is too credible, as far as I've heard" said Malcolm.

"Whatever" said Chad. "Out, now! I need a moment to talk to them".

"Fine" said Stefano. He smiled at Will. "William, so good to see you again". Then, he turned to Malcolm. "Expect to be rewarded, young man. You've given us him back, and we're very grateful".

"Oh God" said Malcolm, in a tone that mixed fear and perplexion.

"I'll go with him" said Andre. "Ah, William, I hope this time you're back to stay. Your family is going to be so happy".

He got out.

"Creepy as always" said Will, turning to Chad. "What did you want to say to me?"

Chad chuckled. "I just wanna ask you something. Will you live here? Not forever, just temporarily, until you adjust well in Salem again, and we have Deimos arrested for what he did to you. And don't worry about Father or Andre, their rooms are in the right wing of the mansion, while yours would be in the left wing, next to mine and Abby's".

Will was appalled, but smiled, hugging Chad. "I certainly will! Thanks!"

He pulled away. "Oh, right, where's Abby? I'd love to see her. And your son! Oh, God, I heard, congratulations, man!"

He hugged him again. "I'm literally so looking forward to meet him!"

"Abigail and Thomas must be out for now, I haven't seen or heard them, and no offense, they're kinda loud" said Malcolm. "Makes sense, I guess. I think there's some kind of celebration no one has invited us to".

Chad pulled away from Will's hug, and his smile fell. "Oh, dear God".

"What is it?" Will asked. "What's the matter?"

Chad looked at Malcolm. "The wedding's today".

"Today?!" Malcolm exclaimed.

"Wait, what wedding?" asked Will in confusion.

Chad turned to him. "Sonny and Paul's wedding".

* * *

The park was full of people. Family, friends and other guests started to arrive.

The Carvers, the Johnsons, the Kiriakises, the Bradys and the Hortons were coming one by one and taking their sits. Deimos and Victor Kiriakis had come too. Even Paul's beloved mother arrived too, but sadly not his grandfather, who had passed away the previous year.

Gabi and Arianna arrived too, and sat next to Abigail and Thomas, chatting as they waited for the wedding to start.

Then, Lucas, Sami and EJ came, with their children, sitting without saying anything. They were happy for Sonny, they really were, but the occassion wasn't certainly their favorite, especially for Lucas and Sami.

Everyone greeted each other, happy they had something to celebrate that day.

Even some reporters had come, and the security team had placed them in a restricted area, where they could film and take pictures, but not disturb the ceremony. They had been expected, for everyone knew the union between a Kiriakis heir to the family business and a former baseball star couldn't just go unnoticed.

The minister was the next to arrive. Sonny knew his family was Catholic, but Paul's family wasn't, so a civil minister was the right choice.

Paul was the first groom to arrive. He noticed how beautiful the park had been decorated.

 _"And in really short notice"_ he thought.

An aisle decorated with flowers and a simple, golden altar were the centers of attention. His mother stood up and went to him, and they walked down the aisle together.

"I am so happy" she said, as they slowly walk. "I really hope you are too".

"I am" said Paul. "Thank you so much for coming, mother".

She smiled at him, as they reached the altar, and went to her seat, while Paul stood there with the minister, waiting for Sonny.

His wait didn't last long, though, for Sonny and his parents arrived pretty quickly.

They both accompanied Sonny down the aisle, and took their seats once they left him at the altar.

Sonny and Paul held hands, and the minister smiled at them.

The soft music that had been heard the entire time stopped.

"Dearly beloved" he started. "We are gathered here today to join this two men in matrimony..."

"Hey, you're shaking" said Paul in a low voice.

"Just kinda nervous" Sonny admitted.

"I get it" Paul replied. "But you wanted this too, right? You wanted to get married as soon as possible too, right?"

"Yeah, of course" said Sonny, reassuring himself. "I wanna do this".

* * *

"I don't understand" said Will, turning to Malcolm. "You told me Sonny and this Paul guy had just gotten engaged".

"Well, he's not just some guy" said Chad, rubbing the back of his head. "He's that baseball star..."

Will glared at him.

"Sorry".

"They had  _just_ gotten engaged" said Malcolm, confused as him. "For God's sake, how long has it been? Two, three days?"

"They announced it the day you arrived in Rome, I believe" said Chad. "I'm not sure, the time differences always confuse me".

"So that's it" said Will, sitting on the couch. "Ugh, I can't believe this".

"That's not it" said Malcolm. "We gotta come up with a plan like, right now. What time is the wedding?"

Chad checked his watch. "It must have just started. They're doing it at the park for some reason. Form a plan, now".

"Alright" he replied, and turned to Will. "Wanna crash a wedding? I know I do".

Will glanced at him. "Wouldn't that be bitchy of me?"

"You're kind of out of options" Malcolm said.

"Besides, no one will care you crashed it" said Chad. "They're all gonna be so thrilled you're back to worry about it. I bet Sonny will faint".

Will nodded reluctantly. "Ok. I know you guys aren't Sonny's biggest fans right now. I would dare to say you want to crash his wedding only to piss him and his family off".

"You don't?" Malcolm asked, raising an eyebrow.

"It's not that" said Will. "I haven't seen him in four years. I don't know how he's changed. I wanna know if I can claim back the life I had with him or if it's time to move on".

"We'll see" said Chad. "But first..."

He took out a small bottle of cologne, shook it and applied it on Will. "A lot of people are gonna hug and kiss you".

"I liked your jet, by the way" Will said.

Chad grinned. "You used the shower?"

"Yeah, I can't believe you got a jet with so many things!"

"I know!" Chad laughed. He stepped away from him and looked better at him. "Yeah, my shirt looks great on you".

Malcolm raised an eyebrow. "Shall we go? Not that the park is that far, but if we get there as soon as possible we might have a chance to end this nonsense".

Will nodded. "I'm ready".

* * *

Deimos had stepped aside from the ceremony to make a phone call. However, he was furious.

"What do you mean you're in New Jersey? What the hell are you doing there?" he was hissing. "No, idiot, Malcolm Cooper's not there! He's followed me to Rome! No, I think he must be dead by now. Just come back to Salem, for crying out loud!"

He hung up the phone. "Idiot".

"Something wrong?" said someone behind him.

Deimos turned around to see his brother staring at him. He just smirked.

"Business. Nothing to worry about" he lied.

"You looked pretty upset" Victor observed, narrowing his eyes. 'Did something happen?"

"Nothing to worry about" Deimos insisted. "Now come on, so far the ceremony hasn't bored me yet".

"Maybe that's because you weren't paying attention" said Victor, sitting with him and Maggie again.

"Love is pure. Love is magical. Love can be rekindled" the minister was saying. "It's something that will always be there, in our families, friends, and our partner".

"Sonny and Paul have come a long way" he continued. "We all here hope their happiness lasts for a long, long time, until death does them part".

Paul said his vows first. He talked about the time he and Sonny met, about the time they were apart, and the time they reconnected. About how, despite his refusal to marry Sonny seven years before, they still were there.

Sonny was next. He talked about how difficult it had been for him to look for love again after Will's death, and how Paul changed that. About how he was ready to start over. His voice shook with hesitation as he promised to love him unconditionally, something that went unnoticed by the assistants.

"Before we proceed to the rings" said the minister. "Does anyone here have any reason to be against this union? Talk now, or forever hold your breath".

Be it an impulse or not, Sami was about to raise her hand. But EJ put his hand on hers, shaking his head. "Let them, Darling".

Since there was nothing but silence, the minister just nodded. "Shall we proceed to the rings?"

Both Sonny and Paul turned around to receive their rings from their best men, Brady and JJ respectively.

"Ok, Sonny" said the minister. "Repeat after me. I..."

"I OPPOSE!"

The minister looked up. Paul and Sonny turned around. Everyone did.

Chad had gotten out of his car and yelled that as soon as he saw the exchange of rings was about to start. He approached the aisle.

"Sir, I must stop this ceremony right now" he declared, as Malcolm got out of the car too.

Deimos's eyes widened when he saw him.  _"What the... No"._

"Chad, what the hell are you doing?" Sonny said, with a mix of shock and anger on his face.

"Stopping you from making a mistake" said Chad, turning to the surprised guests. "Everyone, there has been a major happening. I'm sorry we have to steal these two's thunder, but it's crutial you all know".

Suddenly, gasps and small exclamations were heard, as Malcolm opened the back door of the car, and Will got out.

He made a few steps, until he was looking right at the altar.

Right at Sonny.


	24. Chapter 24

There was silence. Just that silence that follows the initial shock. In a person, it would have seemed normal. In a relatively big crowd, not so much. But that's how it was when Will got out of the car and approached them, looking at Sonny, who suddenly felt unable to do or say anything.

 _"Sonny, Ari, my family. Sonny, Ari, My family"_ was all Will could think over and over again. And being Sonny the first one he saw...

Paul and Sonny stood at the altar not knowing what to do. Sonny couldn't stop staring.

_"It's Will. Oh God, it's Will"._

Their parents turned to them, trying to stand up and do something, but the shock and horror in their eyes prevented them for doing so.

 _"Gee, he's not even a ghost"_ Chad thought, rolling his eyes, for he found the situation a little ridiculous, and got closer to Will and Malcolm.

Malcolm also was starting to get worried something bad would happen if they didn't break the ice soon, and cleared his throat. "You do know who we just brought here, right?"

Finally,  _finally,_ two little people, curious to know why everyone had frozen, turned around, ignoring their stunned mothers.

Thomas had no idea who the guy was, but his daddy was next to him, so that had to mean it wasn't a bad guy.

Ari, on the other hand, saw her uncles, and then... That guy... Where had she seen that guy? He looked so much like her... She could see herself in him.

_"Who's him?"_

_"That would be..."_

"Daddy" she whispered, and grabbed Thomas's hand (she was in charge of taking care of him!) and slowly stood up.

Some movement at one of the seats caught Will's attention. He looked down slightly, and saw a little boy being dragged by a little girl towards him.

_"Oh my God"._

"Thomas, come here" said Chad, covertly.

Ari let go of Thomas and he ran to his daddy, who picked him up.

She stood right in front of Will, who was tearing up at her sight, and smiled.

"Daddy?"

Will let out a sob. "Yes, sweetie. It's me".

"DADDY!" she screamed in joy, jumping towards him.

Will was crying by then. He kneeled on the floor, and held his daughter with strenght, not wanting to let go.

"I missed you!" she happily declared.

"God, I've missed you too" Will cried. "So, so much".

He hugged his daughter tightly, refusing to let go.

And by then, people had already stood up.

Even Deimos...  _"No, this is impossible!"_

...And Victor.  _"He's alive? He's freaking alive?!"_

Will ignored the world. He finally pulled away to see his daughter, even though his tears didn't let him see very well. He wiped them away.

"Look at you, you're so big and beautiful!"

And that's when he noticed two pair of legs in front of him. He dared to look up.

Lucas and Sami were in front of him, speechless. Will stood up.

Sami had been the first one to see him. She knew who he was the second Will had gotten out of the car. She didn't need to look twice, she knew. It's a natural thing for a mother, isn't it? She had spent so many nights crying, begging for her son to come back, pleading to God it would have all been just a horrible nightmare she would wake up from anytime. But then she accepted it was her cruel reality, that her son was dead. However, there she was, and her son she had accepted was gone was standing in front of her, after hugging her granddaughter like there was no tomorrow.

For Lucas the hit was harder. He had stayed in Salem and dealt with his grief all alone. And that didn't mean he didn't have the love and support of his family, but he and Sami couldn't grieve together as parents with their surviving children because Sami had gotten herself in more trouble. He didn't resent her for it, he never would, but he also didn't appreciate being left alone. Of course, when she came back, they had already healed. He had accepted that his son was dead too. And yet Will was there.

Will had missed his parents terribly, besides his daughter. Having them in front of him, it was like being a kid again, when he had gotten lost and was found hours later. He probably didn't remember, and wasn't aware of the familiar feeling his father and mother had had when he had been sold on the black market. Of course, this was different. He had been born again.

"Mom" he said, feeling more tears were to come. "Dad".

Sami moved first, reaching out touch his face, slightly.

"It's you" she whispered, letting her own tears fall. "Oh, baby, it's really you".

She broke down and hugged him. Lucas was no different. Also crying, he joined the hug. Will was weeping again, eventually.

"My son, my son" Sami cried, as both parents refused to let go, just as Will had when he met Arianna. As for her, she hugged her daddy's leg, as Malcolm and Chad watched, smiling, the reunion.

Not wanting to be left out, Thomas started making grabby hands towards the blond stranger, who, probably in his opinion, couldn't be unreliable if his good friend Ari was so loving towards him. So he made some noises too, and tried to let go of his father's strong arms, unsuccesfully.

Hearing the little struggle, Will and his parents let go of each other, and all turned to Chad, who chuckled. "Right. Will, this is my son, Thomas DiMera".

Will looked in awe at the little boy, who smiled at him. "Well, hi, Thomas! Pleased to meet you".

Thomas giggled and turned to his father's chest. Will and Chad chuckled.

"He's pretty amazing, you're gonna love him" said Sami.

At the altar, Justin, Adrienne and Tori, Paul's mother, all had come to Sonny and Paul, aware of the situation. Sonny was already hyperventilating.

"Sonny, Sonny, listen to me" said Adrienne as she cupped her son's face, who had started panting and breathing heavily. "Sonny, I know this is hard, I know you're shocked as we all are, but you need to pull yourself together".

"He's panicking" said Tori.

The minister, not aware of who the men who had interrupted the wedding were, was really confused. "What's going on? Will we continue?"

Justin turned to him. "I'm very sorry, but I don't think there's going to be a wedding today".

Paul glared at him.

Adrienne kept trying to calm Sonny down. "Honey, honey, please, no, don't look at him! Look at me, pull yourself together, come on, sweetie".

"He's alive, he's here" Sonny kept repeating over and over, and couldn't take his eyes off of Will reuniting with his family. "He's alive, mom, he's alive".

"Yes, yes, honey" said Adrienne. "He's alive, that's amazing, but please, calm down, baby, calm down".

Sonny had been pretty sure Will was gone. He had attended the funeral, cried his heart out at the grave, left, came back, accepted his tragedy and moved on. All for Will coming back from the dead on his wedding day. He couldn't understand. Wil was alive.

"I can't, I just can't" Sonny replied, turning around and running away.

Paul motioned to follow him, but Justin caught his arm. "Let him go, it's ok".

"But..."

"Let  _him_ go" Justin emphasized.

Paul chasing Sonny would have been useless anyway, for Sonny was long gone by then. And Will noticed. But he couldn't go after him either, for the rest of his family was already getting over the shock and coming to him.

However, Victor remained in his place, as he looked at both scenes, not knowing what to do, perhaps for the first time. He looked at his side, where Deimos had been, only to find an empty place. He started looking around, but Deimos was gone.

But when he looked back to Deimos's empty spot, he saw Malcolm.

The boy looked angry. "Where's Deimos? I saw him when we got here. Where is he?"

Victor just glared at him. "I don't know".

Malcolm narrowed his eyes. "Don't lie to me. He's responsible for Wil's disappearance. Where the hell is he?"

"He  _was_ here" Victor confirmed. "But he's gone. I don't know where".

At the entrance, Gabi was already bawling her eyes out as she hugged him, and so was Abby, who after welcoming him back, she took Chad aside.

"I can't believe this" she said as she wiped away her tears. "And you and Malcolm brought him back, thank you".

Chad huffed. "Malcolm did almost everything".

"Still" she replied, hugging him."It's a blessing. You should keep breaking news this great at weddings more often".

Chad frowned. "Keep?"

"Yeah" said Abby, chuckling wetly."Like when you broke the news Ari was Will's, and Gabi was the one getting married, and you burst into the chapel, and..."

"Ok!" said Chad, rubbing her back and letting go of her. He glanced at the altar. "Well, I guess there won't be a wedding since one of the grooms has fled the scene".

"Oh, Sonny" Abby lamented.

Malcolm came and took Chad aside for a moment, excusing himself to Abby, and lowered his voice.

"Deimos is gone".

"What do you mean he's gone?" Chad asked.

"That he's gone" he replied. "He was here, but he's escaped".

Chad nodded. "Ok, we'll find him later. We gotta make sure Will's safe first".

Meanwhile, Sami kept caressing Will's face, as his little siblings hugged him at the same time.

"Oh,baby" Sami was saying. "How did this happen to you? What happened?"

Will looked at her for a moment before starting to cry again, hugging her. "I couldn't, no..."

Malcolm decided to step up, and put a hand on Sami's shoulder. "I'll tell you both the whole story, but don't remind him. I believe he's traumatized. But we must get out of here".

Chad approached them. "We should continue this at the mansion, it'll be quieter there".

Malcolm and Will, who had calmed down a bit, agreed with a nod.

But Sami and Lucas turned and stared at him.

Chad rolled his eyes. "I'll send Father and Andre away".

"Oh, alright" everyone started saying.

"Oh wait" said Will. "Where's Sonny? I wanna speak to him".

"He's left, man" said Chad, apologetically. "Sorry, it's been too much for him. He'll see you eventually".

Slightly disappointed, Will picked up Ari, gave her a big kiss in her cheek and nodded.

As everyone began to leave, Paul, against his mother's wishes, ran towards them, and approached Will.

"So" he said, as Will turned to him. "You're alive. That... That's great. But don't expect any big changes in your favor".

Will just stared at him. "Who the hell are you?"

Paul narrowed his eyes. "Don't play dumb with me. You..."

"Hey!" Sami intervened.

"No, Sami, it's ok" said Malcolm, turning to Paul. He made sure Will was concentrated talking to Gabi, Abigail and Chad before talking to him. "I believe you'll need an explanation of what happened. But the Will you knew wasn't the real Will. This one is. Don't worry, you'll know what you have to know".

He patted Paul on the shoulder and left with his family, leaving Paul staring, confused.

* * *

Sonny ran and ran, until he arrived at the church.

It was empty, and he entered, dropping himself on his knees in front of the altar, and joined his hands in prayer before breaking down.

He cried and sobbed for a few minutes, before calming a little. He looked at the Cross.

"How?" he cried. "How could this be? How did this happen?"

_"Sonny, this is Will"._

_"Oh, Will is extremely loyal and I'm dating his best friend"._

_"Yeah, I told my grandmother that I'm gay"._

_"I'm not good enough for you"._

_"Why don't you let me be the judge of that?"_

_"Nick's not the baby's father, I am"._

_"I'm sorry that I lied to you"._

_"This changes everything!"_

_"I love you"._

_"Let's go home, see our little girl"._

_"Will you marry me?"_

_"I do"_

_"Somebody slept with Paul Narita. You"._

_"I said I was sorry!"_

_"I'm leaving, Will"._

_"No, Sonny, don't!"_

_"I just wanted to say that I'm the one who screwed up"._

_"Son, I wish I wasn't telling you this but... Will was murdered tonight"._

_"A part of me will be buried with him today"._

All his shock, sadness and impotence came back, and felt as strong as the day Victor has called him that day with the news that he had lost Will. And all those mixed feelings turned into anger, and he stood up and walked to the altar.

"Tell me" he growled. "How is he alive and why have I suffered? What do I do? TELL ME! TELL ME!"

Having heard the scandal, Father Louis, who was in charge that day, entered the chapel, and held Sonny from behind as he screamed.

"TELL ME!"

Sonny broke down again, this time bitterly, and fell to his knees.

* * *

Chad, Abigail and Thomas, Gabi and Ari, Sami and EJ, Lucas, Malcolm, Will and his siblings entered the mansion. It had been a hard morning. Will had given Ari to Gabi for he still didn't feel strong enough to carry her.

"So, I guess we'll have an impromptu lunch party" said Chad.

Sami stood in front of him, as she dragged Malcolm with her.

She turned to the girls, first.

"Not a word" she warned. "Catch him up".

Gabi and Abigail knew better than challenging a freaked out Sami Brady. So they sat with Will and began telling them absolutely everything he had missed. Malcolm had already told them that Will had been abducted at the beginning of 2014, but had refrained from giving any details yet.

She put Malcolm next to Chad, as Lucas and EJ joined them, and she crossed her arms.

"Start from the beginning" she ordered.

Malcolm sighed. "The Will you had by your side, starting 2014 wasn't your son. He was kidnapped and held at the DiMera castle".

"By who?" Lucas demanded.

"Percy Ruggles did the deed" said Chad. "But the whole thing was a conspiracy by Deimos Kiriakis".

Sami scoffed. "I don't believe it. Deimos had him hostage in your family castle? He's a Kiriakis and you're in war, for crying out loud".

"He claimed he was my brother Tony".

EJ groaned. "Of course".

But then, something in Sami clicked. "Wait, you said Percy Ruggles? Oh my God, that's that creepy guy, the one who helped Nick, the one who came back here asking for you! He must have known you were after Deimos".

"I sent him to New Jersey" said Chad, slightly proud. "But it's possible he's flying back here as we speak. However, the police has already been informed, and is waiting for him so they can arrest him".

"Ok" said Lucas. "There are the good news".

"Deimos was at the ceremony" said Sami. "I saw him. "Why hasn't he been arrested?"

"He escaped" said Malcolm. "Don't worry. I'll find him".

"But as long as he's out there he's still a threat to Will!" said Lucas. "We can't bring him home safely if Deimos is out somewhere, planning to kidnap him again or kill him".

"I won't allow it" said Chad, determined. "There's also something you gotta know. Will's staying here at the mansion".

Sami's eyes widened. "No. No, no, no, no, there's no way in hell I'm letting my son stay here".

"Will has already accepted" said Chad. "This is the safest place where he can be. Deimos won't be able to penetrate the building. I've reinforced my security team".

"Are you seriously thinking that I'll let my son stay under the same roof with Stefano and Andre DiMera?" she hissed.

"You have no choice" Chad argued. "Listen, I can handle them. Besides, Will's room is next to mine, in a wing of the house, while Andre and Father are in the other wing. He'll be ok, I promise. You both know I can take care of him".

Sami glanced at Lucas. In their minds, they both knew Chad was right.

"Once Deimos is neutralized, my brother will be able to restart his life in Salem normally" said Malcolm. "I've already made a few calls, and the CIA has intervened. They will contact me once backup's here, and we'll hunt him down".

Sami looked at EJ, and then at them. She reluctantly nodded. "Alright. But I'll come here everyday to check on him".

"Me too" said Lucas.

Chad nodded. "No problem".

"Now, there's something else" said Sami, turning to Malcolm. "That day, when we, uh, exhumated that coffin... There was a body inside. I want to know how you finally resolved it wasn't Will".

"Yeah, you were equally as puzzled as we were" said Lucas.

"Ok, but don't be mad" he replied.

Sami chuckled. "You gave us our son back. We can't feel anything but joy and happiness".

Malcolm nodded. "Ok. I stole a tooth from the cadaver".

EJ smirked. "You clever boy. Teeth are of the few tissues that preserve DNA even if the body's been dead for a long time".

"Oh, that was why" said Chad.

"Chad and I took it to the hospital. You aunt Kayla Johnson helped us, pulling some strings to run a test to compare it twice".

"God bless her" said Sami, smiling.

"Why twice?" asked Lucas.

"I decided to have it compared with the data they had of the tests Will took before marrying Jackson" Malcolm replied. "But they matched".

Sami's smile disappeared. "What?"

"So I had it compared with Ari's DNA, and this time they didn't" he continued. "That's when we knew Will was anywhere but in that coffin".

He turned to Lucas. "You remember those dreams Ms Brady was having? She finally had some more information that she gave me later. Chad figured out by the descriptions she made that he was at the DiMera castle".

"Oh, my grandma" Sami cried. "I'm so hugging her as soon as I see her".

Lucas frowned. "So that means..."

"Will and Sonny never married" said Chad. "He never wrote for that magazine, he never went to California, and he certainly never cheated on Sonny".

"Oh, good Lord" said Sami. "Sonny's not gonna take that well".

"Whatever will happen with him now?" asked Malcolm. "I do feel sorry for Paul, I like him".

"There's a lot to figure out from now on" said EJ. "We will take it one day at the time. For now, let's focus on our joy of having William back, and finding that son of a bitch who had him taken".

* * *

"My ex-husband is alive" cried Sonny, as he sat on one of the benches next to Father Louis.

"I heard" said the priest.

Sonny frowned. "How? You weren't there".

Louis shrugged. "It's a small town. News fly".

"I thought he had died" Sonny said. "My world was crushed. I grieved for so long. And just when I'm about to be happy again with Paul, he reappears".

"So I presume you're now in a difficult position" he said. "Torn between two lovers?"

"I don't know" he replied. "Maybe Will doesn't want anything with me anymore. I don't even know any details of what happened".

Louis caught the detail that Sonny had probably taken the return of Will as something way too much for him. "Son, did you really wanted to get married again?"

"Of course I did. I proposed".

"I know" said the priest. "I just wanted to make sure you weren't under any pressure of any kind. Is it maybe possible, some feelings and things you left unsaid and undone might have resurfaced now that he's back?"

Sonny just shook his head.

"You don't have to answer" said Louis. "The only person who completely knows you is you. If you feel that there are things you have to sort out, then you'll do it".

"Oh my God, Paul" said Sonny. "I hope he's not mad".

"I think he'll understand that this has been a shock for you" the priest said, as he stood up. "Go home, son. If you try to deal with this now, you might make some mistakes you won't be able to fix in the future. Rest, clear your head, and tomorrow you'll be able to think properly and find a way to resolve it".

Sonny stood up too. "Thanks, Father". He sighed. "My head's a mess right now".

"Have faith, son" said the priest. He pointed at the Cross. "He won't let you fall".

Sonny nodded, received a pat in the shoulder, and left to the mansion, where his family was already waiting for him.

* * *

That night, Chad and Abby were sleeping soundly. Chad had Abby in his arms and dreamed of God knows what when a sound next door waked him up.

He slowly opened his eyes, and frowned when he heard some movements. He fully opened them when he heard a muffled voice next door.

"Please, please, no. NO!"

Carefully not to wake his wife up, but quickly, Chad got up from bed and rushed to the room next door.

Will was violently shaking and talking in a loud voice, not too loud however so everyone would wake up.

"No, please. Leave me alone. LEAVE ME ALONE!"

"Will, Will, hey!" said Chad, as he quickly sat on the bed and shook him. "Will!"

Will waked up with a gasp.

"Will, hey, hey, it's ok. You're ok, it's me" he continued, as he held Will, who started crying. "It's ok, I'm here. You're safe".

Will kept crying for a while, and Chad held him, until his friend was asleep again.


	25. Chapter 25

As the day started, changes were already being noticed around town. Will was alive. Paul and Sonny's wedding had been suspended. Deimos Kiriakis had been exposed as Will's kidnapper and was nowhere to be found.

Proof of that was when Chad came downstairs for breakfast, where Abigail was already feeding Thomas, and Andre and Stefano were having their coffee cups and bread.

"Morning" he said.

"Hi" said Abby.

"Hi" said Thomas in a little voice, and grinned widely when he heard the "aw's" from everyone.

"Good morning, Chad" said Andre.

Stefano had a copy of The Spectator in his hands. He gave it to Chad. "I see you succeeded, son".

Chad took the newspaper, which had the first pages colored red, and read the headline.

_WILL HORTON ALIVE_

_The young writer, thought to be dead by murder in 2015, was revealed to be alive yesterday morning after an operation led by the CIA with the help of an anonymous contributor. See the special edition The Spectator has made about the case in the following pages._

Chad chuckled. "I'm an anonymous contributor. How ridiculous, everyone saw me standing there with Malcolm".

"Not everyone in town" said Andre. "You see, you are a person of quite importance here, the CEO of DiMera Enterprises, so I believe your participation in a CIA mission was kept 'secret' to preserve your image".

"But Father said it, I succeeded. How could that possibly affect negatively my image?"

"In more ways than you think" Stefano replied.

Chad turned the page of the paper.

_DEIMOS KIRIAKIS MISSING_

_The now former CEO of Titan Industries has been reported to have escaped after he was acussed by the CIA of the kidnapping, replacing, and possible torture of Will Horton. The CIA released a statement last night informing that an APB has already been put out on him._

"Of course he's missing" Chad said. "How come there's no mention of Percy Ruggles? He was Deimos's accomplice, he's the one who drugged and took Will to the castle".

"My mom said there was risk of him getting a copy of the paper, finding out he was being looked for and escaping" said Abby. "At least that's what an agent of the CIA told her".

"So the agency has really intervened in town" Chad said.

"They are everywhere!" Andre complained. "They arrived all at once yesterday, a few hours after the frustrated wedding, and dispersed all over town looking for Deimos and making just a few details of everything that really happened make it to the papers".

"I see" he said, turning to another page.

_WEDDING SUSPENDED_

_The union between Titan Industries new CEO Jackson "Sonny" Kiriakis and former baseball star Paul Narita was interrupted and suspended in a twist only seen in soap operas, after Will Horton, Kiriakis's ex-husband, was revealed to be alive._

"So Will is today's trendic topic, I see" Chad mused. "All they are talking about is Will's comeback and the events surrounding it".

"Well, William is actually one of the few Salemites that has that kind of 'importance'" Andre observed. "He's one of the few people connected to the Hortons, the Bradys, the Kiriakises and the DiMeras, the four most important families in town, in some way or another".

"They made a special edition" said Abby, grinning. "That was Mom's idea. Though I don't understand how that could work since almost all the details of Will's captivity have been kept in the dark. But Mom said she wouldn't let the paper publish them had she had them. She would never hurt her nephew like that".

"I know she wouldn't" said Chad, smiling at her and turned to another page.

_FIRE AT DIMERA CASTLE_

_The DiMera Castle, situated in Rome, Italy, suffered a fire two days ago. The disaster resulted in the almost total destruction of the building. A spokesman of the DiMera family said arrangements were already being made to rebuild it._

Chad rolled his eyes. "Was this necessary? How did they get the news anyway?"

"Beats me" said Abby. "It's your family and it's a castle. I don't think that fire would have gone unnoticed, with or without an operation".

Stefano glared at her.

"What? It's true" she defended.

"The fire was caused by a grenade thrown by Deimos" said Chad.

"That's the truth we know" said Andre. "The truth they know is that it was caused by a short circuit".

"Of course it was you who had to tell what happened" Chad groaned. "Well, at least you changed a few facts".

"I still don't understand how Deimos entered under a DiMera name" said Abby. "I thought the security team there was very prepared".

"Ruggles put Will in a private room without being noticed thanks to a secret door behind the castle" her husband replied. "Deimos went there before coming here, and apparently he had studied Tony really well, because he fooled everyone".

"I support that theory" said Andre with a chuckle. "You can't just go to the castle claiming you are Tony DiMera. He didn't have a simple life, you know?"

"Yeah, well" she said. "I'm just really glad Will's home, back where he belongs".

"And his name has been cleared" Stefano commented. "I read that on the last page of that special edition.

Chad frowned and turned to the final red page, to which other pages with local, normal news followed.

_WILL HORTON REIVINDICATED_

_William Robert Horton was kidnapped and replaced with a lookalike in early 2014, say CIA sources, proved by medical records. The Spectator offers sincere apologies to the Horton family for the sensationalist news, lack of respect of privacy and hard criticism against him for the scandals under his name._

"It was about time" said Chad. "Those bastards were really ruthless with him after the articles, the cheating, the schemes. Even after death. Not that I still feel sorry about that, now that I know it was all done by a doppelganger".

"You know who I feel sorry for?" Abby said. "Sonny. My God, the wedding was a disaster".

Chad glanced at her.

"It was for a good cause, though" she shrugged. "But still. Paul stood there, Sonny ran away, the wedding was suspended. And Will! He and Sonny are both my cousins, how can I not feel for them? They were in love once. I think Will still thinks, or thought until yesterday, of himself and Sonny as a couple because that's how it was left when he was taken. And all that ruined by some impostor! It must have been so hard for him to see Sonny with another man".

"It was" said a voice at the door of the dining room.

Everyone turned to see Will standing there.

* * *

A plane from New Jersey had landed that morning at the airport. Some hours had passed, and the passenger had not been allowed to get off the plane for 'unknown' reasons.

It had happened that a team, led by Malcolm had made the arrangements after a follow-up work, knowing that Percy Ruggles had taken a plane and headed to Chicago early after midnight.

The men arrived at the gate where the plane had stopped, armed with their uniforms and weapons, at the sight of many confused and shocked passengers who waited for their turn to board.

Malcolm was in front of them.

"Proceed" he ordered.

The team entered the plane, to everyone's surprise, but Malcolm stayed at the gate. Orders were orders.

Some yelling was heard, and Malcolm smirked, knowing they had caught Ruggles off-guard.

A few minutes later, the agents got out, and two of them had taken Ruggles, and put handcuffs on his hands.

Malcolm approached them. "So you are the son of a bitch who took advantage of my brother's naivety and took him away from his family. Be ready for a life in prison, I'll make sure you get it".

Ruggles looked at him defiantly. "Indeed, I'm just a piece. But have you gotten the entire puzzle?"

Malcolm narrowed his eyes, and stood close to Ruggles, his face really close to his. "You bet your ass I have".

He stepped back, and the men took Ruggles away. Malcolm followed them. Ruggles was put into a van, and taken to the station.

* * *

"Hey" greeted Chad, taking Will to the table. "Have a seat. Sleep well?"

"Kind of" he replied, knowing about his nightmare the previous night, but deciding not to mention it. Chad understood, though.

"Do you want anything, Will?" asked Abby, taking the empty little plate away from Thomas. "I could make some eggs and coffee".

"Have the cook do that" said Stefano in a loud voice, so the people in the kitchen would hear him.

Abigail rolled her eyes. "Whatever".

"Hi, Thomas" said Will, giving the little boy a weak smile.

"Hi" he replied in his tiny voice.

"Aw" Will grinned. "He's so cute, Abby"

"I know" she said, caressing her son's little head, as a maid brought a cup of coffee and eggs for Will. "So, have had some thought about what you wanna do now that you're back?"

"Well, my first priorities are my health and my daughter" he replied, rubbing the back of his head. "I'm sure she's gonna ask so many questions, God, especially with my bad shape".

"I've been told you are not allowed to leave the mansion until Deimos Kiriakis is found and caught" said Stefano, getting up. "I will make a few calls".

He left the room, and Will stared at the others. "Who's he calling?"

"Oh, since it's too risky to go to the hospital with Deimos out somewhere, he's going to bring a doctor for you" Andre replied. "We always have the best".

Will raised an eyebrow. "If a Stefano's doctor is going to examine me, I want someone I trust watching".

Andre smirked. "Oh, William. We are not the same ruthless family we used to be".

He stood up, and went to his office.

"He's right, you know?" said Chad. "According to pretty much everyone, we have become more 'peaceful'. The latest scandals have the Kiriakis family involved, one way or another".

"I've been absent for four years, I deserve to have the right to be cautious" he replied.

Abby tilted her head in agreement, as the bell rang. "Fair enough".

"Now who might that be?" Chad wondered, going to open the door.

Sami, and Lucas, who carried Ari, were outside.

"Hi!" he greeted. "Come in".

Sami entered the living room. She definitely looked in a way better mood than the previous day. "Hi, good morning!"

"Hey" said Will, getting up, accepting the bone-crushing, suffocating hug from his mother.

"Oh, I've never been so happy to see you" she said. "It's like when you were born".

"And she was way crazier back then" Lucas joked, and hadn't he been carrying Ari, he would have received one of her classic hard smacks.

"I do feel I've been born again" said Will, receiving Ari from Lucas. "Hi, baby. How are you?"

"Fine" she replied with a grin.

"We know how reconnecting with her is very important to you" said Sami. "We spoke to Gabi last night. Even thought she won't allow her moving in here, she has agreed Ari will come visit you everyday after preschool, and all day during weekends".

"How nice of her" Abigail commented.

"Everyone's really thrilled you're back" said Lucas. "That of course includes us. We know you need time to heal physically and psychologically, and you have all our support""

"Ours too" said Chad. "But, do you have any plans?"

"Not exactly" he replied. "I mean, yeah, I wanna reconnect with my family and work. I know things aren't going to be the same, though".

"And that's ok" said Sami.

Will sighed. "I missed you all".

He turned to Lucas. "What are these news that I have another brother?"

Lucas chuckled. "Right. It's a long story. Do you like him?"

Will shrugged. "Pretty much. He's nice".

"He came to town last year" said Lucas. "It was very awkward for all of us, because he looked a lot like you".

"I saw that" said Will. "When he burst into... My cell".

" _I_ didn't even like him at first" Lucas continued. "Sonny hates him for some reason".

"Eh, the feeling's mutual, from what I've heard" said Chad.

"His resemblance to you meant so much trouble for him, and for us" said Sami. "He was really nice, yes, but he reminded us of you so much that it made us really sad".

"Then, I was stabbed by some guy who was actually meant to attack Chad" said Lucas. "I'm fine, don't worry. He donated blood. That's how we found out".

"Wow" Will said. "And you guys got to know each other".

Lucas smiled. "Yes. You're gonna love him. He's a great guy. Sadly, his past is troubled".

"Why?"

"I'll let him tell you".

Will nodded. "Ok then".

He stopped for a moment before talking again. "Yesterday, when you told me what I had missed, I couldn't help but notice you never mentioned... Sonny".

Sami and Lucas shared a glance.

Chad grimaced, turning to Ari. "Hey , sweetheart, why don't you and Thomas go upstairs and play, huh?"

"Ok" she said. She planted a kiss on Will's cheek, earning a smile from him, went to the other side of the table, grabbed Thomas's hand, who had been put on the floor by Abigail, and took him upstairs to the playroom.

Will turned to them. "So?"

"We weren't sure how you would react had we mentioned Sonny" said Abby.

"It's alright now" he replied. "I mean, it's obvious he's moved on, we crashed his wedding for crying out loud".

"Just how much do you know?" Chad asked.

"The summary. What my double did to ruin my name, my relationship with Sonny and his death. But I want to know the details".

"Oh, Will, I don't know if you really want to" Chad hesitated. "We're just worried about you. You've been through such a traumatic experience, there's no need for more stress".

"I wanna know" Will insisted. "My name has been cleaned, but I want to know this so I can move on from it".

"You won't have to worry about Ben" said Sami, who had taken the newspaper.

Will took it.

_WESTON TO REMAIN IN STATESVILLE_

_Ben Weston, otherwise the Necktie Killer, has been reported not to be acquitted for Will Horton's alledged murder, for he had killed his doppelganger and been charged with three murders in his trial plus escaping prison once. Salem's DA informed that the former serial killer's sentence wouldn't have any changes. Weston was convicted in 2015 for the murders of Serena Mason, Paige Larson and friend 'Will Horton', and was sentenced to life in prison in 2016 when he was recaptured after escaping to harass Abigail DiMera (neé Deveraux)._

"So this is the guy who killed me" said Will. "Well, my double. It says they were friends".

"Ben was a psychopath" said Abby. "I almost married him, you know? But I was close to Chad, and he knew it, and in his twisted mind he resolved killing people and frame him so he wouldn't be close to me".

"But Chad was my best friend, he would never do something like that to me. I know it was my double, but you all believed he was me".

"Your impostor was never a target" said Chad. "He figured out Ben had killed those women, but Ben caught him. You can imagine what happened".

Will hid his face in his hands. "Oh, dear. And Sonny had already left him, right?"

Lucas nodded. "Yeah. It wasn't pretty. The guy was very remorseful, you know? I'm starting to think that maybe he would have confessed everything if he hadn't been murdered".

"I just don't understand" he said. "I mean, you all knew how I felt about marriage for starters. I was too young in 2014, there's no way I would have said yes to Sonny's proposal!"

"To be fair, your double  _did_ say no to Sonny's first proposal" said Sami.

"First?"

"He thought about it, had a change of heart and accepted later" she said.

Will groaned. "Smart move".

"And the wedding was beautiful" she admitted. "Ugh and then, when Nick died, he thought Sonny had done it and tried to take the fall for it".

"And that convinced everyone he was me" Will said. "Because I would have done that for Sonny. God, he had green light to spiral out of control and no one suspecting something was wrong!"

He turned to Chad.

"I was out of town by then" said Chad. "Yeah, I received some pictures and a postcard but when I came back everything was on track. I just fell for it like everyone did. I'm sorry".

"Don't be" he said. "He was just... A hell of an actor".

"The magazine job should have been a signal" said Sami. "But even though the things he wrote about us were horrible, the grammar and vocabulary were amazing, they were... 'You'".

"But the cheating, oh my God, the cheating" Will cried. "How could I ever cheat on Sonny? I love him too much for that!"

"He played the insecurity card" said Chad. "No offense, but it's part of your personality. He fooled everyone with that when the scandal came out".

"I should apologize" said Abby. "Because I was such a bitch to you. Well, him. I am very sorry I thought you would do that".

"Don't" said Will. "It wasn't me anyway. And I'm pretty sure you weren't the only one".

"The Kiriakises were against you when they found out. Sonny turned cold towards your doppelganger and got closer to Paul. If he and your double had a physical affair, he and Sonny had a psychological one".

"Sonny does love him, doesn't he?" Will sadly said.

"No, he doesn't" said Chad. "He thinks he does, and I'm pretty sure he proposed to Paul because felt some kind of pressure".

Abby turned to him. "What?"

"It's my theory. They are just not right together. And considering what happened to get them to where they were yesterday, it makes me sick".

"Please stop it" said Will, hiding his face in his hands again. "I don't need you to trash-talk him. I... I need a moment".

He stood up to leave, but Chad stood in front of him. "Whoa, you're not going anywhere. Deimos is still out there"

"I want to go to the bathroom!" Will snapped, pushing Chad aside and walking away.

Chad sighed. "That went well".

"He has been locked up for so long" Sami lamented. "He may be well physically, but mentally, he must be wrecked".

"Ugh, this is so messed up" said Abby. "And what about Sonny? He hasn't returned any calls or texts".

"He must be also very confused" said Lucas. "I'll try to check on him later".

"And Paul, God, I feel so sorry for him".

Sami rolled his eyes. "I have to admit he's a good guy. Also, I must say I'm kinda glad the wedding didn't succeed. It was too messed up".

"What do you think will happen with those two?" asked Lucas.

"Whatever has to happen" said Abigail. "This time, no one must interfere with their opinions. We must let Sonny and Paul, and Will if he wants, figure it out on his own".

Sami nodded in agreement.

They remained in silence for a while.

"Will's been in the bathroom for quite a while, hasn't he?" said Chad.

"Go see if he's ok, I'll clean up the table" said Abby.

"We'll help" said Sami.

Chad went to the bathroom, and Lucas and Sami helped Abby.

"Do you think Will's gonna need professional help?" asked Abby.

"Probably" said Sami. "I'll ask my mom. Physically he's fine. Please make sure he eats well and healthy".

"I will" she replied. "Hey Chad, and Will?"

Chad had rushed in the living room, horror written in his face. "Will's gone".

* * *

Sonny and his parents were out at the square having breakfast. The poor man hadn't slept at all. He looked tired and emaciated, with bags under his eyes. Not the best image he had. In fact, he couldn't find it in himself to eat.

"Have some bread at least, Sonny" Adrienne pleaded. "You need to eat. Come on".

Sonny just shook his head.

"Leave him" said Justin. "Son, I know you're really stressed. But you must do something".

"Paul hasn't speaked to me since the failed wedding" Sonny lamented. "I don't have the guts to call him. I just can't take it. It's too much".

"Sonny, I can't deny you're suffering" said Adrienne. "But have you even stopped and thought about what Will has suffered. My God, four years in captivity, alone and forgotten. I feel horrible for the way I thought of him".

Sonny groaned. "And Will, I don't know what to do about Will! He's alive, he never cheated on me, he never schemed against anyone. He was my husband, I should have been one of the people who knew him the best, I should have known all those things weren't like him!"

"You were in love, honey" said Adrienne. "And your anger and frustration when your marriage was in crisis blinded you too".

"It's not anyone's fault but Deimos's" said Justin.

Sonny clenched his fists. "I hate him. He took my husband away, hurt me just to make Uncle Vic suffer for me. He must pay!"

"And he will" said Adrienne. "The police is already looking for him. They'll send him back to prison for the rest of his life".

"No, it's not enough" Sonny hissed. "I want him dead. He should die for what he did to Will!"

"No, Sonny, don't think like that" said Justin.

Sonny breathed heavily. "He didn't deserve it. I..."

He trailed off. "He never married me".

Adrienne looked at him, concerned. "What?"

"The dates..." Sonny gasped. "I married his imposter".

He started walking backwards.

"Sonny..." said Justin.

Sonny ran away.

"Sonny!"

* * *

Will ran and ran, until his feet got tired. He looked around, and saw the many gravestones that surrounded him.

"God" he murmured.

He slowly walked, and stood in front of a tomb.

He breathed heavily as he read the name.

_WILLIAM ROBERT HORTON_

_November 16th 1992 - October 9th 2015_

"No" he mumbled in a horrified voice. "No".

He fell to his knees, placing his hands on the ground, not able to take his eyes off of it.

"NOOOO!"

He crawled to the right, for he had seen a relatively big rock, took it with both hands and returned to the grave, and started hitting the stone with all his strength.

"NO, NO, NO!"

Tears fell down his face as he saw how the stone was shattered to pieces.

"No..."

Suddenly, he gasped, as he felt a throbbing pain on his neck. It was a needle.

He slowly took his hand to his neck, and pulled what had hit him. It was a dart.

He gasped for air once again, before falling unconscious.

His eyes closed, just as a shadow approached him.

* * *

Sami had yelled at Chad until Lucas told her not to waste her energy on him but in finding Will.

It hadn't been Chad's fault. Will had lied and run away after all.

Abby had suggested they looked around the mansion first, for there was a chance he could be in his room or somewhere inside, since he had indeed said he wanted to be alone.

And so, half an hour later, Chad came downstairs, meeting the others in the hall. "He's not up".

"Neither in the second floor on the basement" said Lucas.

"Ok, that confirms he's out somewhere, with Deimos on the lookout" said Sami.

"It's only been 30 minutes" said Abigail. "He can't be that far".

"Ok, me and Abby will search the Pub, you guys go to the square, we'll be in touch and keep moving" said Chad, just as he heard a few knocks on the door. "Oh, come on".

He opened the door. Malcolm was there, with an unconscious Will on his left shoulder and a blowgun on the right hand. Behind him was Marlena.

Malcolm glared at Chad. "You had  _one_ job".

Chad was speechless. "Uh..."

"Whatever" he said, pushing him aside, and walking inside, to everyone else's surprise. "Where's his room?"

"Um, upstairs, next to mine, it's..."

"Uh huh" he replied, going upstairs, carrying his unconscious brother.

Marlena signaled to the living room. "Shall we?"

Everyone followed her inside.

"Mom, what's going on? Where was Will?" asked Sami.

"Malcolm called me and told me everything" she replied. "He's the one who found him. Will was at the cemetery".

"Oh no" said Lucas. "Don't tell me he saw..."

"He saw the grave with his name" she confirmed.

"Why hasn't anyone removed it?" Sami complained. "I'll have it removed right now!"

"That won't be a problem" said Marlena. "The stone's been destroyed".

Abby blinked twice. "What?"

"Will destroyed it with a rock. Malcolm had to sedate him to make him stop" she replied. She turned to the stunned parents. "He has PTSD. I understand he can't leave the building for his own security so I'll come and treat him".

Sami nodded. "Ok. Thanks, mom".

"It's my pleasure" she smiled. "I'm just so happy he's back".

"About the stone" said Chad. "What will we tell the police? Because Will could be charged with vandalism".

"Oh great, one day in Salem and he has trouble" said Abby rolling his eyes.

"Not on my watch" Lucas said. "We could claim Will's mental health is seriously altered for what has happened".

Suddenly, someone started banging on the door.

"Oh my God!" said Chad, going and swinging the door open. "Who the hell is... What the hell are you doing here?".

Outside, Sonny glared at him.


	26. Chapter 26

"What the hell are you doing here?" asked Chad.

Sonny stood there, glaring at him. "Move".

He motioned to walk past him, but Chad stood on his way. "Uh, no. What do you want?"

"Where's Will?" he demanded, as he tried to look behind Chad.

"Why would you think I know?"

"Come on, I know he's here".

"Why would you think he's here?"

"Because  _you_  brought him to the park yesterday. Malcolm would never hide him in his lousy, insecure apartment. You however, have the resourses to hide him. Now tell me where he is so I can speak to him!"

Chad scoffed. "With what right? Of course, he never died and you never divorced him before that so 'technically' you're both still married, so you wanna ask him for that so you can marry your precious Paul. Well, newsflash! He never married you because he was abducted before you even proposed!"

"I know! I also realized he never cheated on me, he never schemed against Paul and his family, and he never did all those horrible things!"

Chad smirked. "Bet you must feel like the worst crap in the world knowing you ever thought Will would be capable of such betrayals to his family, to you, and worst, to himself".

Sonny looked away. He did feel horrible for that. For not telling a stranger from his boyfriend, who he had claimed knowing like the palm of his hand.

Chad grimaced, and started closing the door. "If that's everything..."

"I'm not going until I talk to him" he determinedly said, putting his hand on the door.

"Then you might want to pitch a tent in the garden, 'cause there's no way in hell I'm letting you in" said Chad. "Not that you'll have time to do so, since I'll make my security team throw your ass away the second I close this door".

Sonny rolled his eyes. "This is ridiculous. WILL! WILL!"

He called as he struggled with Chad to get in, finally pinching him on his side.

"Ow!" Chad complained.

Sonny took his chance and pushed him aside, entering the mansion.

"What's going on?" Abigail asked, as she, Marlena, Lucas and Sami got out of the living room.

"Sorry honey, he's just leaving" said Chad sternly.

"I'm not!" Sonny refuted. "Where's Will?"

No one answered.

"Oh come on, is it that difficult?" he exclaimed. "Look, I don't mean any harm. Please, let me see him. I want to know if he's ok".

"He is" said Sami, with her arms crossed. "He's resting, so he must not be disturbed right now".

"But he's ok?"

"He is, Sonny".

Sonny calmed down. "I'm sorry. I just... I thought I had lost him forever".

Chad raised an eyebrow. "Could we have this conversation  _outside_ my house?"

Abigail rolled her eyes.

Lucas crossed his arms too. "Sonny, what are you doing here?"

Sonny frowned. "I just told you".

"No, I mean  _why_  are you here?" he said. "Shouldn't you be with Paul? Have you two even talked about what happened and what you're going to do? Have you even talked at all?"

Chad, at the lack of an answer from Sonny, smirked. "He hasn't, has he? He saw Will and now Paul's a long gone memory".

Sonny walked towards him, glaring, until they were face to face. But Chad's smirk never let his face. "No way in hell I'm letting you anywhere near him".

"Alright, that's it, knock it off!" said Abby, standing between them. She turned to Chad. "You, stop being so mocking". Then, she turned to Sonny. "And you, get your crap together!"

Chad raised his hands in surrender. "I'm just saying. I think we all here want what's best for Will, and I honestly think we should put his mental well-being first upon everything".

"What is that supposed to mean?" Sonny hissed.

"Enough!" said Sami. "Sonny, I'm sorry, but you gotta solve your issue with Paul before getting even a little close to Will".

"But why? Why is that even a problem?" he pleaded.

"Because it's too much for him to even mention your name!" Chad exclaimed. "Last time he saw you, you two were boyfriends, and now that he's back you're suddenly marying someone else!"

"That wasn't my fault, or anyone's for that matter!" said Sonny. "We were all tricked into thinking he had changed and died!"

"We know that, dear" said Marlena, trying to calm the situation. "I think what Chad is trying to say is that it's difficult for Will to catch up to the four years he hasn't been here. Since you are one of the most special people for him, it's hard for him to understand what has gone on in your life all this time".

"Will is sick right now, and he doesn't need you messing with his head" said Chad.

"Chad, stop it" said Lucas. "Sonny, Im not gonna lie to you, Will does want to see you too. However, he is disappointed in you for not differentiate him from his doppelganger".

"I wasn't the only one" Sonny defended. "You couldn't either. Neither could Sami, or Marlena or Chad. No one could!"

Lucas narrowed his eyes. "But who was by his side 24/7 at the time?"

"Sonny, please leave" said Sami. "Don't take this the wrong way, we do want you and Will to talk but I don't think this is the right time. Go sort things out with Paul and then come back".

"What the hell's going on here?" asked someone coming downstairs.

Everyone turned to the entrance of the living room.

Malcolm caught sight of Sonny and scoffed. "Well, well, this should be interesting".

* * *

Paul was sitting on the couch of his apartment, reading the newspaper.

"Will Horton alive, wedding suspended, Deimos Kiriakis missing..." he read.

Even though many people believed otherwise, Paul did feel bad for Will. Now that he had read the story, he had realized he and Will had never met, or at least Will had never met him. They had never gotten together that night that started hell for them, Will had never harassed his mother. It had all been Deimos's doing.

"And the son of a bitch got away with it, it seems" he murmured.

Tori, his mother, got out of the spare bedroom, and sat next to him.

"How are you doing?" she asked.

Paul shrugged. "Ok I guess. I mean, I should be with Sonny in Miami by now, but instead, I'm sitting here all alone, reading the paper and finding out there's chaos outside".

"Has Jackson called?"

"No. I haven't called either. I don't know, this is too messed up".

"Tell me about it" Tori said, taking the paper from his hands. She sighed as she read the headline. "And to think I thought he was pure dirt. If I take away his name from my thoughts, I'm still right. The person who took his name  _was_ pure dirt".

They stayed in silence for a while.

Then, Tori spoke again. "Your father called this morning".

"What did he say?"

"He's out with the ISA, looking for that man" she replied. "Apparently, there's been an alliance between them and the CIA".

Paul huffed. "That's unheard of. Makes sense though. Dad always considered Will as a grandson. Malcolm's Will's brother. I bet they both pulled strings in their agencies to find his kidnapper".

Tori nodded, and put her arm around Paul, rubbing his shoulders. "What are you going to do?"

"I don't know, Mother" he replied. "The wedding's technically cancelled, and I haven't seen or heard of Sonny since he ran away from the altar".

Tori nodded. "Do you think there's a chance... You and Sonny could break up?"

Paul shrugged. "I don't know. That's up to him, I suppose. I know for a fact he still loves Will and will always love him. It's something very different than what he and I have... Or had".

He sighed. "I should have known we were going too fast. Way too fast. If we hadn't decided to marry right away, Will's return wouldn't have probably caused too much drama".

"The situation would have still been the same" said Tori. With a few changes, but the main idea remains".

Paul shook his head. "I love Sonny, I do. But with Will back in his life, I don't think I stand a chance with him anymore".

"Not necessarily. Maybe Will doesn't want to be with Jackson anymore" Tori suggested. "Go find him. You two need to talk and figure out what to do next".

Paul scoffed. "Do you know what's the thing about Salem? It's a small town, and it's pretty easy to run into anyone. Oh, but if you look for someone in particular, the town becomes a laberynth of alleys, streets and buildings".

Tori chuckled. When Paul stayed silent again, she rubbed his arm again. "What are you thinking, son?"

Paul sniffed, but didn't cry. "Mother, I had the chance of marrying Sonny twice. Both times were frustrated. That's got to mean something".

He looked at her. "I think I want to go back to San Francisco, and start over".

* * *

Malcolm crossed his arms. "So, what's he doing here?"

"Sonny here has decided he must talk to Will" said Chad.

"Oh really?" he replied, making a few steps towards Sonny. "And he must because?"

"Because I also deserve to know what the hell happened to him and why Deimos kidnapped him" Sonny sniped.

Malcolm shrugged. "It's all on the papers".

"The truth" he said. "I want the truth!"

"How's any of that your business?" asked Malcolm. "You're the one who left".

"I never left Will!"

"You left his double  _thinking_ he was Will. That's enough for me to say that".

Sonny narrowed his eyes. "You had a part in that operation. I think everyone here knows you work with the CIA, I know you're covering a lot of things up".

Abby looked away. "Um, I did not know that".

"Ah, it's ok" said Malcolm with a dismissive wave with his hand. "I haven't been careful with my discretion about that during my stay in Salem anyway".

"I must talk to Will" said Sonny again. "Because I want to know if he's ok".

"Don't you have a boyfriend to check on first?" he asked.

"That's what I'm saying" said Sami. "Will's not going anywhere, Sonny. Sort things out with Paul and then come back".

Sonny looked at her pleadingly, but Sami looked determined. He sighed and went to the door. Chad stepped aside so Sonny would walk past him, and followed him, opening the door. Sonny got out,but turned around to face Chad.

"I'll still be back, you know?"

Chad shrugged, and closed the door on Sonny's face. Then, he returned to the living room, where Marlena was getting her purse.

"Ok, I should go back to work" she was saying. "I'll come back to check on Will every once in a while, make sure he rests for now and call me if anything happens. No medication for now, we'll see how he evolves through the days".

"Thanks, Mom"said Sami, as Marlena said her goodbyes and left.

"Yeah, I'm expected at work too" said Abby. She turned to Chad. "You and I are having a serious conversation when I get back".

Once she left, Chad let out a nervous chuckle. "She'll forget it".

"I'll go upstairs, see if Will's alright" said Malcolm, going upstairs.

"And I'll go see the kids" said Lucas.

"Oh, but EJ's watching them" said Sami.

"I know" said Lucas with a nod, and left too.

Sami rolled her eyes. The competitiveness between Lucas and EJ had resurfaced the previous week. They had tried to live in peace with one another, by Sami's request, but couldn't for too long. Even though Sami had been their object to compete for, this time, their children were. Sami found it ridiculous.

Chad picked up a few used glasses to take them to the kitchen.

"That was interesting" said Sami.

Chad looked at her. "What was?"

She shrugged. "Oh well, just how protective I've seen you are of Will. Not complaining, though, Lucas and I appreciate it. But what's that all about?"

Chad left the glasses on the table, and went to the sofa. Sami joined him.

"Do you remember back in the day, like eight, seven years ago?"

Sami frowned. "I don't think I even knew you back then".

Chad raised an eyebrow.

"I'm kidding" she said. "Of course I do. By then you practically lived in my house, always doing homework with Will, playing videogames, you even spent the night with us once in a while because you couldn't stand your parents, and that was before you knew you were a DiMera. I remember you two talking about girls, before Will came out of course, and oh, I even remember how you like your pancakes!".

"No way!" said Chad. "You actually remember that?"

"Of course I do" she said as she hugged him. "You were, well, still are, like a son to me".

Chad smiled. "So now you see".

Sami pulled away. "See what?"

"You know Will and I had a rough start in our friendship. How we competed for a girl, and what happened with Grace and that stuff. But when my parents kicked me out, he was there. When my mother died, he was there. Hell, when I found out Stefano was my father, he was there!"

"I guess what I'm trying to do is do the same for him. Be there, you know? I love him, Sami, he's like the little brother I never had. And believe me, I was blinded with rage when I figured out Ben had killed him, well, his double. The fact that he was tormenting Abby got things even worse. And when Malcolm told me there was the possibility of him being alive, I saw my chance to return the favor".

"But Will never saw all that as a favor" said Sami. "That was just him, helping a friend in trouble".

"Yeah, I know that's who he is" he said.

Sami lowered her voice. "That, and his crush on you".

Chad's widened and he slowly turned to Sami. Sami just looked away.

"Get out" he said, shocked and amused at the same time.

"What, you think a mother doesn't notice these kind of things?" she defended. "But of course I just ignored that, like almost everything that wasn't involved in  _my_ life. Sonny had to come into the picture for him to totally forget about you".

"That bastard" he said, with fake emotion.

Sami laughed. "Now I understand though, why you insisted he stayed here, why you got so involved in helping Malcolm bringing him back. Thank you so much, Chad".

Chad and her hugged again. When they pulled away, Chad grinned. "I'm so teasing Will about this"

"And I'm out" she said, getting up. "I'll be back too, make sure he's alright, ok?"

"Will do" he said.

* * *

"You want to leave?" Tori asked. "Why? What about your father? What about Jackson?"

"I haven't thought that through yet, it's just an idea" said Paul. "I mean, Dad would surely be heartbroken, but he'd be fine, he's got Marlena, and I would always call. Sonny on the other hand, I'm not so sure".

"How come?" she said. "You can't just fall out of love like that. Son, you two were about to marry!"

"You said so yourself.  _Were_ about to".

Tori stood up, ready to give a lecture.

"Mom, don't" Paul warned.

"I'm just worried about you!" she cried. "Son, think about this well! I would never want you to do something you'll regret!"

Paul stood up too. "I will, Mother. But first, I must talk to Sonny".

As in cue, three knocks were heard on his door. Paul went to open, and saw Sonny outside.

* * *

Malcolm entered Will's bedroom. Unfortunately for him, Will was awake, sitting on his bed, rubbing his eyes.

Malcolm sighed and leaned on the doorframe. "Sorry we woke you".

Will tilted his head dismissively and yawned. "What happened? I heard a commotion downstairs".

"Yeah well, your beau came over" he replied. "If it's fair to call him that".

"Wow" said Will. "Sonny came? What did he want?"

Malcolm hesitated. "Talk to you. No one agreed. Chad gave him a reality hit and Sami kicked him out... Sort of".

Will looked slightly disappointed. "Why?"

"Oh, don't hate me... Or everyone downstairs" he said with a grimace. "We're all worried about your well-being. Your mental well-being".

Will nodded. "Oh".

"You, um, you may have caused a scene at the cemetery" said Malcolm. "Not to mention you profaned the tomb of your doppelganger".

"Ugh" he groaned. "I just... Felt odd. I don't even remember it very well".

"Oh, that's the sedative" said Malcolm.

"Sedative?"

"Sorry about that. But hey, it wasn't too strong, I mean, you woke up pretty easily with a scandal downstairs".

Will chuckled. "I think it just wore off. How did you find me, by the way? How did you know I was there?"

"It was pretty much a coincidence" Malcolm admitted. "We arrested Percy Ruggles this morning at the airport. When I was on my way home I passed by the cemetery and saw you walking in. I just knew something was wrong. I sedated you and called your grandma, Marlena. I told her everything and we took you back here".

"My grandma knows?"

"She's gonna be treating you from now on".

"Treating me".

Malcolm sat on the bed. "Man, sorry I have to tell you this. You have post-traumatic stress disorder. Marlena thinks it was caused by all the time you spent locked up with very little contact with other people. It's not that bad, though. You weren't abused".

"I wasn't" said Will. "People pretty much ignored me. I figured they didn't have issues with me but with someone else. The only contact I had with anyone was when someone would drop a plate of food and water in my cell".

"Please tell me you had a bathroom".

"I had" he said. "Which confused me even more. Yeah, it sucked to be locked up, but why all those facilities? Their intention wasn't to hurt me".

"Except they psychologically did" said Malcolm. "Look, you're going to hate this. Deimos Kiriakis kidnapped you to make Victor Kiriakis suffer".

"What?"

"It's a very difficult story, something about Deimos being thrown in jail by Victor for a long time, he wanted revenge and took you and replaced you with a double meant to hurt Jackson. Jackson's suffering would eventually hurt Victor, since he's the Kiriakis 'golden boy'".

Will groaned. "Ugh,all this time, I've just been taken pointlessly".

They stayed in silence for a moment.

"So, um" said Will. "Dad confirmed you're my little brother".

"See? I didn't lie" said Malcolm with a grin. "Think you can handle another one?"

Will chuckled. "It can't be that bad, huh?"

They embraced.

"So, I guess I'll go" said Malcolm, standing up.

"Wait" said Will. "Before you go, would you do me a favor?"

"Yeah, sure".

Will took a deep breath. "If you see Sonny... Will you tell him I want to talk too?"

Malcolm raised an eyebrow.

"I'm aware you two don't get along" Will added. "But please, I want to speak to him. There are so many things I want to say".

Malcolm glanced at him. "You still love him?"

Wil sighed. "I don't know. But I must start sorting things out in order to get my life back on track".

Malcolm nodded. "Ok then. If I see him, I'll tell him. But you must convince Chad to let him in".

"I'll handle him" he replied.

Malcolm nodded. "See ya".

* * *

"Sonny" said Paul. "Um, come in".

Sonny walked in the apartment, and caught sight of Tori. "Ms Narita"

"Hello, Jackson" she said. She grabbed her coat. "I'll give you some privacy".

She kissed Paul on the cheek and left.

Paul closed the door and turned to Sonny. "So, I guess we've got a few things we should talk about. You know, yesterday morning".

Sonny nodded. "Our failed wedding".

"Will's back" said Paul. "He certainly looks nicer than the one I met".

"I don't know what to do right now".

"Me neither. You know there's a problem with him here, right? I know about what you two had".

Sonny frowned. "Are you saying you can't 'compete' with that? Who said anything about competing for love?"

"Sonny, when I accepted your proposal I really thought I was doing it out of love" Paul admitted. "Which was partially true. But when I noticed how I practically forced you to rush everything I realized that what I was really trying to do was to take the chance I lost years ago of marrying you right away. I'm sorry".

"No" said Sonny. "What are you talking about? You didn't force me into anything".

"Sonny, I got too excited" said Paul. "I noticed how uncomfortable you were, even though you tried to look otherwise".

"Are you saying you don't love me?"

"I love you, I do. But I know that the love I know you feel for me will never be as strong as the love you had, or still have, for Will. Especially now that he's back".

Sonny looked at him, realization dawning on him. "You're breaking up with me".

"I know this has come out of the blue" said Paul. "But I've had yesterday and today to think. I don't deny there's love between us, just as I know there's love between you and Will".

"Paul, come on, it's been just a day" said Sonny.

Paul shook his head. "This has been the heaviest wake-up call I've ever had. I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable during this week".

Sonny left himself fall on the couch.

"Our history is also screwed up" Paul continued. "Will's double cheated on you with me. And when he died, we technically made plans on his grave. And then we got together. This is not what I want, Sonny. Don't feel it's your fault, because it's not. But I think I deserve to be in a more peaceful relationship".

"I don't even know if Will still loves me" said Sonny. "This can't be the end".

Paul looked down. "I've made up my mind. You are strong, Sonny, you'll get through this. You're not to blame for what happened to Will. Fight for him if you find the chance".

"How will I ever look at you again?" asked Sonny. "Even if I and Will rekindle what we had, which I highly doubt, how will I be with you in the same room, knowing that we were together, and almost tied the knot hadn't it been for him coming back?"

"That won't be an issue" said Paul, making his desicion. "I'm leaving, Sonny".

Sonny glanced at him. "What?"

"I need to heal and reorganize my life" he said. "So I'm moving back to San Francisco with my mother. Dad's not gonna be happy,but he'll get over it".

Sonny stayed silent for a moment. "So this is it".

He stood up and went to the door. When he opened it, he turned to Paul one last time. "I'm really sorry, Paul".

"I'll be ok" said Paul with a sad smile. "I'll say goodbye when I leave. And don't worry, I'll still be your friend".

Sonny nodded, and left, closing the door behind him.

* * *

Malcolm walked through the square, talking on the phone with John.

"So no news of Deimos yet. That's ok, keep searching. Yeah, I'll checkon my brother, make sure he's ok and I'll join you. Fine, I'll stay and take care of him. Right, Deimos could try to reach him. Alright, alright. Keep me posted".

He hung up. On a table, he saw Justin and Adrienne Kiriakis.

 _"Jackson's parents"_ he thought.

He tried to see if he could go unnoticed, except that Adrienne looked up and spotted him. Both adults stood up and approached him.

Malcolm grimaced. "You two must hate my guts right now, huh?"

"We are not happy, that's for sure" said Justin. "But our son will survive. Sure, you could have picked any other place or time to reveal Will was alive, but we understand".

Malcolm frowned. "You do?"

Justin nodded. "Just, try not to cause stress on him".

"Whatever" he replied.

"Um, Malcolm, is it?" asked Adrienne.

Malcolm nodded.

"Are you seeing Will this afternoon?"

"Well,I just saw him, but I'm supposed to go back and check on him like, always".

Adrienne nodded. "Will you, um, will you give him our best wishes?"

Malcolm raised an eyebrow. From what he had heard, Adrienne Kiriakis wasn't Will Horton's number one fan. But things changed, he guessed. "I will".

Justin nodded. "Thanks".

The couple left, and Malcolm turned around. Sonny was pretty close to him.

"Malcolm" he said.

Malcolm rolled his eyes and turned to him. "Hello again, Jackson".

"I sorted things out with Paul" he said.

"Wow that was pretty fast".

"We broke up" he admitted. "Do you think it's ok if I go see Will now?"

Malcolm raised an eyebrow. Sonny must have been in a really depressive state to ask  _him_ for permission to see him. His first instinct was to say no. But he remember what Will had asked him.

_"Before you go, would you do me a favor?"_

_"Yeah, sure"._

_Will took a deep breath. "If you see Sonny... Will you tell him I want to talk too?"_

Malcolm rolled his eyes.  _"The things I have to do"._

He cleared his throat. "Fine, go. I guess I'll go too to make sure Chad lets you in".

Sonny nodded sincerely. "Thanks".

They started walking, until Malcolm stopped. "Oh, and Jackson".

"Hm?"

"Don't you even think this is the start of a friendship or something like that".

Sonny nodded and looked down, hiding his grin. "No problem".


	27. Chapter 27

Big was Chad's surprise when he opened the door of the mansion and saw Malcolm and Sonny outside. That was an image he didn't think he'd ever see.

"What are you guys doing here?" he asked, narrowing his eyes. "Together?"

"I've asked myself the same thing as we came down here" Malcolm deadpanned.

Chad raised an eyebrow, an turned to Sonny. "Thought Sami told you to sort things out with Paul".

"Yeah, well, it turned out great" he replied. "We're over".

"Huh" said Chad, surprised. "Who would have thought it, the guy was smarter than he looked".

"Oh, please, don't try to start a fight" Malcolm complained. "I've been trying myself".

"Whatever. Come in" he said, letting Malcolm inside, but put a hand on Sonny's chest to stop him. "Sonny, always a pleasure".

"No, wait, wait" said Malcolm, as Chad motioned to close the door. "He, um, he's coming with me".

Chad turned to him with a big frown on his face. "Ok, what the hell's going on here? Are you on pot or something? How come? Please don't tell me you are suddenly besties".

"Ew, no!" he replied. "We're coming to see Will".

"We?" he repeated, lifting his eyebrows. "We?"

"Well, actually Sonny is, but..."

"Oh no, oh hell no!" Chad exclaimed, trying to shut the door closed, but Sonny put his hand to stop him.

"I'm not leaving until I talk to him" he determinedly said.

"Why do I get the feeling we've done this before?" Chad asked.

"Let him, Chad" said Malcolm, fed up with the conflict. "Will wants to see him too".

Both men turned to see him.

"He does?" asked Sonny.

"Wait, he does?" asked Chad, indignantly. He approached Malcolm. "He wants to see him? Did he say those exact words?"

Malcolm rolled his eyes. "Yes, Chad, he said that. Now let Jackson in and cut the 'protective' crap, it creeps me out".

Chad looked stern, but let Sonny in with a sigh. "He's upstairs. One sign you're disturbing him and your ass is out of here".

Sonny nodded reluctantly. "Thanks".

He motioned to go upstairs, but Malcolm stopped him. "I'll go first".

Sonny rolled his eyes, but followed him.

Chad looked at them go and shook his head. Suddenly, he heard a sound outside, getting him on alert. He took out a gun from his pocket, and opened the door.

* * *

Marlena was walking throught the square, distracted on he phone, when someone approached her.

"Doc!"

She looked up to see John walking towards her. She grinned. "Oh, John!"

John hugged her with all his strenght. "Oh Doc, I've missed you".

"Oh, me too" she smiled. "Tell me, how did the search go? Have you found anything on Deimos?"

"No, not yet, but I promise you, we'll catch the son of a bitch and make him pay for what he did" he said determinedly.

"So he's still on the loose".

John nodded. "Sadly, yes. We had to stop the search when we got too far away from Salem".

"Is there any harm if you get too far?" she asked.

John shrugged. "Well, first of all, I wouldn't be able to do this".

He cupped her face and kissed her passionedly.

A few seconds later, he pulled away. Marlena was grinning like a fool. "John..."

"Ah, you  _have_ missed me" John smiled.

"I have" said Marlena. She sobered up. "You were telling me. You couldn't find Deimos".

John shook his head. "No, Doc. The man has disappeared. We decided to take a short break, return and get prepared to look for him again. I was on my way to check on Paul, actually".

"Oh, yes. Poor boy" she lamented. "So excited about finally marrying Sonny... I'm actually in a neutral position, I don't want to take sides".

"I'm glad" he replied. "But now that I am with you, I'd like to ask about the kid. Is Will ok?"

Marlena looked down. "Not actually. All those years in captivity... He has PTSD".

John sighed in dismay. "Oh, no. I'll make sure to visit him. Where is he staying?"

"The DiMera Mansion" she replied. She rolled her eyes when John raised an eyebrow. "Chad made it very clear that Will isn't leaving the building, and that it's the safest place he can be while Deimos is still out there".

"But, Doc, under the same roof with Stefano DiMera!" he exclaimed.

"I trust Chad" she said. "I know he won't let anything happen to Will. They were best friends once, remember?"

John reluctantly agreed. "I won't take my eyes off of Stefano. I swear, one hand on the kid..."

"It'll be ok" she said with a smile.

John looked at her, and nodded. "Ok. I better go see Paul. He said he had something important to tell me".

"Go" she smiled, kissing him again.

* * *

Chad looked outside, gun in hand, very carefully. Very quietly, very carefully...

"AH!" he screamed in surprise when all of a sudden a little, colorful bird flew very close to his face. It landed on the floor, right in front of him.

Chad glared at it. "Oh, that's funny, huh?" He looked around again and got back inside.

He shook his head as he locked the door.

"You're carrying a gun now?"

Chad winced again, and turned around to see Stefano behind him. "Stop doing that!"

Stefano chuckled. "What is the fun in that?"

"You're a sick, sick person" Chad declared, before walking into the living room.

"All town seems to agree with you" said Stefano. "They have ever since they've known me, actually".

Chad sat on the couch.

"What's this about a Kiriakis in my house?" Stefano asked.

"Sonny's upstairs" said Chad, not too happy. "Don't look at me that way, Will wanted to see him, Sonny wanted to see him, what was I supposed to say?"

"No!"said Stefano, glaring. "What part of 'war' you don't understand?"

"This has nothing to do with the war, Father!"

Stefano walked towards Chad, and grabbed his arm tightly. Chad looked at him in the eyes. He would never admit it, but that was the first time he actually felt fear of Stefano DiMera.

"In this town,  _everything_ has to do with the war" said Stefano. He let go. "I want that man out of my house immediatly!".

"He'll be out" said Chad. "In a while. Malcolm's there too. If Will's disturbed, Sonny's out".

"He  _better_ be out, you useless, sensitive twat!" Stefano hissed, as he left.

Chad rolled his eyes, and went to his office, pretending his father's words hadn't hurt him.

* * *

Will was reading the news in a tablet as he sat on the bed, his legs under the covers. Well, not exactly news. He was actually catching up to the events in town he missed while he was gone. Every once in a while he found some quite shockers.

He looked up when he heard the door open slightly after a few knocks.

"Mind if we come in?" asked Malcolm, popping his head in.

Will rolled his eyes, but chuckled. "Tell Chad I appreciate he takes care of me, but can't he leave me alone for a while?"

"Oh, it's not him" said Malcolm, frowning. "Although I'll definitely tell him that. But..."

He opened the door fully, revealing Sonny behind him.

Will left the tablet next to him when he saw him. That wasn't how he planned to talk to Sonny for the first time. He hadn't even planned that in the first place. In fact, he was surprised everything was going that fast.

Something in his chest fluttered. Sonny walked in. His eyes looked like they were watering.

Malcolm raised an eyebrow. "Oh dear, I'll be right outside".

He closed the door behind him.

Will and Sonny's eyes met.

It was strange, no one knew what to say to the other after four years. Especially Sonny. He felt that he had let Will down by not telling him from a doppelganger. He knew Will had been all alone in that cell, wondering if he would ever get out alive, if he would ever see Arianna or Sonny again, if anyone was looking for him, if Sonny was looking for him. Little did he know Sonny was happy with his double, and when he came back, the double was dead and Sonny was marrying someone else.

Sure Sonny didn't know what had happened, and no one was to blame for what happened to Will but Deimos, but his goal had been achieved. Their relationship had been ruined.

 _"To hell with it"_ thought Will. He took off the covers and motioned to stand up.

"Oh please, don't" said Sonny.

Will stopped.  _"Oh my God, his voice"._

Sonny approached and sat on the bed. He contemplated Will.  _"His beautiful face. How could I be so blind?"_

He lifted his arm a bit, shyly, and slowly, but gently, hugged him.

Will placed his hand on Sonny's back and closed his eyes. There was a feeling he had missed. It was bittersweet actually. He couldn't help but feel slightly angry. Sonny of all people should have known he had been replaced.

But he didn't want to ruin the moment. They stayed in silence, no tears were dropped and no sobs were heard.

They just stayed there, on each other's arms.

After a few seconds, minutes, an eternity perhaps, they separated.

Sonny sighed, and put his hand on Will's cheek with a smile. "I can't believe it's you".

Will smiled back at him, taking that hand. "I can't believe I'm back".

Sonny grinned. "No one can. I'm happy you're back".

"You are?" he asked.

"Yeah" he replied. "I really thought I had lost you forever".

Will sniffed as his eyes became red. "I missed you".

"I missed you too" Sonny replied, voice breaking. "So, so much".

Will let out a sob, covering his mouth with his hand as a few tears managed to escape from his eyes. "Oh God, this is so not how I wanted... It's not...".

"Hey, it's ok, it's ok" said Sonny, caressing his face.  _"God, how I've missed him"._

Will sniffed, collecting himself. "Who... Who was him?"

Sonny frowned slightly. "Who was who?"

"That man" he replied. "The one you were about to..."

Will couldn't find it in himself to finish that sentence. It still hurt.

Sonny sighed. He knew he would eventually have to tell Will. "His name is Paul. Paul Narita. We had something years ago, but then we split. Then I met you and, you know..."

"I died" said Will.

"No" said Sonny. "I thought you had. You don't know how horrible I feel about it".

Will just nodded. "Keep telling me".

"Your double died, and, after some time, Paul and I rekindled what we had".

"And you..."

"We got engaged".

"You really love him, don't you?"

"Paul made me realize we weren't meant to be, but there's no love lost between us" Sonny admitted. "We're over".

Will looked at him, alarmed. "I'm so sorry".

Sonny put his hand on Will's cheek again. "It's not your fault. Had we married, it's possible we would have gotten a divorce later. It's probably for the best".

They stayed in silence for a while.

"How come you didn't recognize Paul? He used to be this big baseball star. You once told me you liked baseball".

"I never learnt the names" Will admitted."I was too busy checking the players out".

Sonny grinned at him. But then he looked sad, still caressing Will's face. "How did this happen to you?"

Will looked down. "I don't know. I-I can't even remember how it was. One minute I'm at the river, and then I'm in that cell..."

Sonny's smile disappeared, and he stood up, taking a few steps back. "Oh my God. Oh my God, when I got there... That wasn't you!"

Will shook his head. "No. It's never been me, Sonny. You never married me. I never cheated on you".

"I know that now" said Sonny. "Will, I..."

"You should have" said Will, letting his disappointment surface. "You should have told that wasn't me!"

His tears were falling, but this time, they fel out of anger and frustration.

"You should have known!"

"I know and I'm sorry!" Sonny exclaimed. "You don't know how awful I feel about that!"

"You had clues, for God's sake, you had clues!" Will vented. "You knew how I felt about marriage back then, I wouldn't have accepted to marry!"

"Even if it was me who you married?" said Sonny, offended.

Will looked at him in the eyes. "You knew what were my reasons".

Sonny sighed. "Ok, ok, you're right. And, God, you were like the most loyal person I've ever met. You would have never cheated on me".

"I never would have" said Will,sniffing. "I get you were played by that guy, maybe he impersonated me so well you were all convinced I had suddenly lost my mind".

"We never thought that..."

"It  _was_ like that!" Will snapped. "It was like that, because if you hadn't thought that, the guy would have eventually been caught, he'd be in prison by now with Ruggles and Deimos, and I wouldn't have lost four years of my life!"

Sonny was speechless. Will had a point. "You will never know how deeply I regret not seeing those signals".

"You, Sonny, don't you get it?" said Will "You were the person I loved the most, the person who loved me the most and one of the few who knew me perfectly, and you never noticed!"

"I know!"

"And then I'm suddenly gone, and, and you go and move on with the man who slept with your husband just because there's 'history' between you..."

"Will..."

"And there I was, in that castle, thinking you were moving earth and sky to find me, never giving up hope, never stopping to believe you loved me..."

"I love you!"

Will stopped talking. "What?"

Sonny made some firm steps towards him, cupped his face and kissed him.

Will never thought of how bad he had missed Sonny's kisses until that moment. For a moment he was about to let himself get lost in that kiss. But it didn't feel right. Not yet.

He pulled away. "No".

Sonny loked confused. "What".

"I said no" Will said. "You-You don't get to do that. You were just about to marry Paul yesterday. You just ended things with him. It's not right".

"I said how I felt" said Sonny. "Don't tell me you don't feel the same way. I won't believe you".

Will shook his head. "It's too soon. I need to sort my feelings out. I don't know if you are still in my heart after seeing you in that altar".

Just in that moment, the door opened, and Malcolm entered the room. "Everything ok here?"

"Yes" said Will, wiping away his tears. "Sonny was just leaving".

Sonny looked at him pleadingly. "Will..."

"Go" said Will. "I want to be alone".

Sonny sighed, but obliged. He got out of the room, passing Malcolm by.

"I know my way out" he said before Malcolm could say anything.

Sonny went downstairs.

Malcolm closed the door. "That went well, didn't it?"

Will closed his eyes. "I'll have to think about Sonny later. I'm tired".

Malcolm nodded. "Ok. I'll go home now. Call me if you need anything, will you? I'm on speed dial on every phone in this house, and Chad knows that".

Will nodded. "Thanks".

Malcolm got out again.

Will waited until his brother closed the door to burst in tears.

* * *

Paul opened the door when the bell rang.

"Dad!"

"Hey, kid" greeted John, hugging him. "I was thinking about you and decided to make a visit to..."

He trailed off when he caught sight of all the suitcases and boxes all around the room.

"What's this?"

"Um, Dad, why don't you sit down?" said Paul, taking himto the sofa.

"Paul, I don't understand, you sounded pretty serious on the phone" said John. "What's going on here?"

Paul sighed. "Dad, there are a few things you shoud know".

John stared at him. "Ok kid, you're starting to scare me".

Paul sighed. "Sonny and I are over".

"What?"

"I couldn't keep going like this, Dad" said Paul. "I love Sonny and always will, but we weren't meant to be".

John had a big frown on his face. "Why, son, why would you think that? Is this because of Will being back in town?"

Paul shook his head. "No, Dad. It complicated things, yes, but that wasn't the motive. I pushed Sonny into this wedding, and he wasn't comfortable. His love for me was never, and will never be as strong as his love for Will".

"Did Sonny say that?" asked John. "Or are you just making assumptions?"

"I'd like to think I'm just assuming" he admitted. "But time will prove me right, because that's what was taken from them. Will and Sonny will eventually be happy and together again... But I can't be around to see that".

Just in that moment, Tori walked in the apartment with some bags.

"Son, what are you saying?" asked John.

Paul glanced at Tori, and then at John. "Dad, I'm leaving Salem".

John frowned and his mouth dropped open. He slowly stood up. "What?"

"I'm really sorry this was such a quick decision" said Paul. "But after talking with Sonny, I made up my mind. I can't be here anymore".

John turned to Tori. "You support this?"

"I will support whatever decision our son makes" she said. "And so should you".

"No, no, of course" he said. "I just... Come on, Paul, just yesterday you were going to marry Sonny and today you're leaving town? I'm sorry, son, but this doesn't make any sense!"

"I know, I know" said Paul. "I'm sorry, Dad".

John shook his head, and hugged him. "I'm going to miss you, kid".

"I'll miss you too, Dad" said Paul. He pulled away. "But hey, I'll call every day".

John nodded. "So, um, when are you leaving?"

"Tomorrow, I think" he said.

"Oh" said John, hugging him again.

* * *

Sonny entered the Kiriakis Mansion, feeling more troubled than ever. Just the previous day he had been about to have it all. Now, he was alone.

He figured he had had it coming. He hadn't been fair to Will. He had actually thought Will was capable of all those things his double did. He had been selfish because he didn't think about his partner's feelings.

He meant what he said to Will. He did love him. But he wasn't sure Will loved him anymore. Especially after what Will went through alone.

 _"Maybe it's my punishment for all my flaws"_ he thought.  _"Will is not gonna love me again because he feels I've let him down. Worst thing is that I have"._

"Sonny?"

Sonny looked up. Adrienne was looking at her. "Sonny, where were you?"

Sonny just walked towards her, letting himself fall into her mother's arms.

* * *

Will had fallen asleep on the bed. He had cried for several minutes, actually. He hadn't realized how much he had missed Sonny all that time.

But things weren't right at the moment. His return couldn't have happened in worse timing. He didn't know what the future held for them.

_"If there's a future at all"._

Someone knocked at the door, waking him up, and opened. Chad popped his head in.

"Oh, I'm sorry" he apologized, realizing what he had done. "I'll go, go back to sleep".

"No, no" said Will, rubbing his eye. "If I sleep now, I won't be able to in the night".

Chad nodded, and walked in, sitting on Will's bed. "How are you?"

Will raised an eyebrow.

"I'm gonna be asking that a lot, so you better answer me" he warned.

Will chuckled. "I'm ok, I guess. I've been sleeping a lot, though".

"You're just tired" said Chad, accommodating the covers. "You do have to rest. You've been through so much".

Will just nodded. "Where are the kids?"

"Oh, Gabi just came and took them to her place" he replied. "She wanted to visit, but I figured you'd be too tired for another visit".

"Ok".

"How did it go with Sonny?"

Will sighed. "I don't wanna talk about it".

Chad nodded. "Total bust, huh?"

"I kinda grilled him for not noticing he had spent two years with a total stranger, thinking it was me" he admitted.

"That's not wrong" said Chad. "It's only fair. But look, if you don't wanna talk now, we can do it later, right? You know I'll listen".

"I know that, thanks" Will smiled.

They got silent for a while.

"So I bother you a lot, don't I?" said Chad with a smile.

"Oh my God, Malcolm told you that?" Will groaned, embarrased. "I didn't mean it, Chad, you have no idea how thankful I am that you let me stay here".

"Are you kidding? Why wouldn't I?" he replied. "You were there for me when I was in a bad place. I wanted to do the same for you".

Will nodded again.

Chad rolled his eyes and hugged him. "Come on. I love you, man. You're my best friend, my little brother. That deal's forever".

"Wow" said Will. "I didn't know I meant that much to you".

"Well, having a friend back from the dead gives you a little perspective" he joked, putting a little kiss on his forehead and pulling away.

"What was that?" Will asked, intrigued.

"I do that all the time!" said Chad. "Well, used to".

"I don't remember you kissing anyone on the forehead before".

"Oh, that started when I came back to Salem and... Oh".

Will grinned. "Yeah".

They both laughed.

"It's really great to see you like this" said Will, after a while. "You're a  _DiMera_ now. You have a beautiful kid. You lead your father's company. I'm proud of you".

"Thanks" said Chad. "I'm proud of you too".

"Oh please" he said, looking away. "What have I done except hanging out in a cell for four years?"

"Are you kidding?" he said. "Will, you fought! You never gave up hope, you never succumbed to Deimos's power! You've been so brave, man.  _I_ would have lost my mind had it been me. Don't tell me you haven't done anything, because you did. You had the most epic mental battle with Deimos for four years and you won. Here you are, back in our lives, and that son of a bitch is on the run. You're great".

Will nodded. "Thanks, man".

Chad looked down. "Will, do you think I'm useless and sensitive?"

Will frowned. "What? No! I mean, of course you're sensitive and that's pretty much why you're the only DiMera my mom loves besides EJ, but you're certainly not useless! I wouldn't even be here if it hadn't been for you".

"Oh, I know" he said. "Just asking".

"Chad" said Will, looking at him. He might have been absent, but he was glad that at least he still knew him like the palm of his hand. "Where is this coming from?"

Chad looked at him and sighed. Will did still know him like he knew Will. "Father may have said some... Stuff".

Will frowned. "Since when do you care about anything Stefano says?"

Suddenly, he realized something. "Oh no, is this because Sonny being here? I'm aware the families are in a war, and I still said I wanted to see him and since I can't leave the building... Oh, I'm so sorry!"

"Hey, no, no!" he replied. "It's ok. Father has always talked and talked way before thinking, my bet is that he didn't mean it".

"Of course not!" said Will. "He loves you. I love you too, you know?"

"Yeah, I know" he said, messing Will's hair.

They laughed again.

But suddenly, a sound of something smashing was heard from downstairs. Their smiles disappeared.

"What was that?" asked Will.

"I don't know" said Chad, standing up. "Stay here, ok? And don't open the door to anyone unless it's me, got it?"

"Ok" said Will, standing up and locking the door when Chad went out.

As if he felt something bad was going to happen, Will took out a phone Chad had given him temporarily until he could get a new one, and put it on the nightstand.

* * *

Chad got downstairs in a rush, with his gun on his hand.  _"I swear, if someone broke in..."_

He knew no place was a hundred percent safe, but he had hoped the Mansion would be safe enough.

He got cautious, and raised the gun. But when he entered the living room, a voice startled him.

"Chad!"

He turned around, and a bullet was fired. Chad felt a horrible pain in his chest, and fell to the floor.

From behind a showcase, gun in hand, Deimos appeared, with a smirk on his face.

Chad was still concious, but the severity of his wound indicated that not for too long.

"So, you actually thought this place would be like a fort" Deimos mocked. He kneeled in front of Chad, and pulled his hair, making him look at him. "Next time check  _all_ the entrances".

He let go, and stood up, kicking Chad's gun aside. "Don't worry. Your dear friend William will join you up there soon".

Chad was trying to breathe, and when he heard what Deimos had said, he got angry, and tried to stand up. "No...!"

Deimos kicked him on the side, making him fall again.

"You kids like to go against everything" he said, shaking his head. "Oh, well. upstairs, isn't it?"

He got out of the living room and went upstairs.

Chad knew he had to do something. He crawled on the floor, leaving a bloody mark on it, and with some effort, he managed to grab the phone, and pressed a button.

He heard a few rings, until the cal was picked up.

_"Chad, what is it?"_

Chad tried to speak. "Mal...Malc..."

He couldn't. His arm dropped, and he lost conciousness.

Only, he hadn't hung up, and Malcolm, on the other side of the line, grew more and more worried.

_"Hello? Hello?"_

* * *

Several minutes had passed since Chad had gone downstairs, and Will was getting worried sick. He had heard a bang, and the fact that he couldn't do anything was killing him.

_"What if he's dead? Oh God, what if Chad's dead? Oh please, let me be wrong"._

At least he knew Ari and Thomas were safe with Gabi.

He knew what he had heard was a gunshot, he had heard enough of them his entire life to know that.

_"Screw it, Chad needs me. He could be hurt for all I know"._

He stood up, but first, he took the phone and activated the camera, putting it so it would focus the door.

"Malcolm, if you see this, help us" he murmured.

He unlocked and opened the door of the room. To his bad luck, someone was there. He

Deimos turned around, and an evil grin appeared on his face when he saw Will glaring at him defiantly.

"Well, hello, William".


	28. Chapter 28

Malcolm rushed into the street where the mansion was. The minute he saw the door had been left open, he knew something was wrong.

"Oh no".

He ran into the mansion, gun in hand, prepared for anything. Except for what he found.

Chad was lying on the floor next to the couch, unconcious, and under him was a red trail. The phone was tossed not too far away from him.

"Oh, God" said Malcolm, rushing next to him, and rolled him over.

His eyes widened when he saw the bloody wound on Chad's chest. "Oh no. Oh no no no no".

He checked Chad's pulse on his neck and wrist. "Pulse, oh thank you, Lord".

Malcolm got a handkerchief from the table and put pressure on Chad's chest with it. "Come on, man, don't die on me!"

Chad let out a weak gasp. Malcolm sighed in relief.

"Chad, Chad, what happened?" he said, as he took out his phone. "Come on, man talk to me!"

Chad moaned.

"Urgh" Malcolm complained, as his call was picked up. "Yes, I need an ambulance immediatly, male, brunet, 27, gunshot wound in the chest. No, it hasn't hit the heart, but probably a lung. It's still bleeding so get here now! 430 Lakeview Drive... Oh, really? Then hurry the hell up!"

He hung up. "Alright man, help's on the way, and you're gonna be good as new".

Chad had woken up. He was breathing irregularly, and struggled a lot to say any words.

"Ma... De... Here..." he was trying to say.

Malcolm frowned, as sirens were heard closer and closer.

"What?"

Chad started trembling and gasping for air. "Will..."

Malcolm looked at him in horror as the paramedics rushed inside. He stood up to give them room to attend Chad.

"Will..." said Chad again, as a tear fell down his cheek. He started coughing when the EMTs lifted him and put him on a stretcher. A red substance came out of his mouth a fell on his shirt. Blood.

"Alright that's it, get him out of here!" ordered one of the paramedics.

Malcolm followed them to the door, when he suddenly realized...

"Will".

As if chased by a demon, he ran upstairs, and slammed the door of Will's room open, only to find it empty.

"Oh no. Oh God, no".

* * *

Somewhere unknown, in a dark, small place, Deimos cleaned a gun with a cloth. He had a scar in his face, and a swollen lip. But despite that, his smirk was big, and his eyes revealed pure insanity.

"I gotta say, you gave quite a fight" he said. "Considering your condition, I was not expecting that kind of strenght from you".

Behind him, tied and gagged on a chair, Will glared at him.

"So, Chad DiMera is dead by now" Deimos continued. "Too bad, I won't deny he had potential in the business world".

Will closed his eyes in denial, and opened them again, furiously looking at Deimos's back.

 _"You son of a bitch"_ he thought.

Deimos turned around. "I guess I should say I'm sorry for your loss. I know you guys were friends".

Will looked at him in the eyes.  _"You'll pay. I know this time they are looking for me. You'll be caught, and you'll answer for Chad's death"._

Deimos smirked when he noticed Will wasn't afraid of him. "Defiant, are we?"

He punched him across the face, making him fall to the floor. Will inevitably hit his head, for his hands had been tied behind the chair.

Deimos faked concern. "Oh sorry, did that hurt?"

He lifted the chair. Will struggled again, earning another punch from Deimos.

"Man, you need to be cool, my hand is getting sore" he mocked. "Ah, well, I can't blame you. I know you and the boy were close. Man, if somebody killed my best friend, there'd be nothing in this world I would do to avenge him! However, you don't have to bother".

He cocked his gun and pointed to Will's face. "If there's a Heaven, I have no doubt you two will meet again".

* * *

Malcolm looked around Will's room.  _"No, this can't be, this can't be"._

He stepped in, slowly panicking. He knew Will couldn't have shot Chad. Someone had tried to kill him and taken Will. And Malcolm had a pretty good idea of who that could be.

"Deimos".

He started looking for anything that could lead him to Will, and his eyes caught sight of a small red light that came from the nightstand. A phone had been placed, andits camera was pointing at him. Malcolm approached, put on and took it.

The phone had been recording the same spot for nearly 45 minutes, and Malcolm pressed the stop button.

"Please, let this be some clue" he muttered,and pressed the play button.

On the screen, a pair of arms appeared, placing the phone on the table, and focused. Malcolm saw Will's face. Hos brother looked worried.

 _"Malcolm, if you see this, help us"_ said Will, and went to open the door. Malcolm saw in horror how Deimos was unfortunately at the other side of the door. He couldn't hear very well, but it looked like they were definitely talking.

Will was showing his back to the camera, and his fists were clenched.

"Damn bad quality" Malcolm cursed, knowing the phone was old.

In the screen, Will pushed Deimos, but Deimos responded with a punch. They fought, and Malcolm was impressed his brother, weakened, was resisting that much.

But of course that couldn't last long. Deimos threw another swing at Will, making him fall. Just when Will was about to get up, Deimos took out a gun, and pointed at Will's face.

More talking was done, and Will slowly stood up, and Deimos, still holding the gun, took him away, closing the door. The camera kept filming the empty area.

Malcolm fast-forwarded the film several time to make sure he wasn't going to miss anything important. But the rest of the footage was just the image of the closed door.

"Damn you, Deimos" Malcolm muttered. He loaded his gun and went to the door, when he heard voices from downstairs.

"...Let's check upstairs, this looks bad".

Malcolm still held the phone and his gun when Rafe and Hope entered the room. They seemed quite surprised to see him.

"Oh God" Malcolm deadpanned, still with a blank face. "It's the dynamic duo".

"There's no time for jokes, Malcolm" Hope scolded. "What's going on here? Where's Will?"

Malcolm tilted his head to the side. "That's what I'm actually trying to figure out too".

Rafe frowned. He started dreading what his instincts told him. "Malcolm, what the hell happened".

Malcolm sighed. "Chad's been shot. He actually called me, and I came here as fast as I could when I noticed that he didn't sound fine, not to mention he passed out on me. Will's been taken again".

Hope looked at him in horror. "What?"

"Chad's alive" he said. "But his wound isn't pretty at all. He was rushed to the hospital a few minutes ago. I'll go check on his condition and then I'll look for Will, which reminds me..."

He took out his phone and sent a few texts. Hope and Rafe looked stunned, trying to process everything Malcolm had said, and exasperated, for they were certain they had to get moving.

"Malcolm!" said Hope, after a few seconds.

Malcolm turned to her. "Yes?"

"Will. Where is he?" said Rafe.

"That I don't know" he replied. "But I know who took him".

He got the video on the phone again, and replayed it, showing it to his aunt and her partner.

Hope and Rafe watched Will appearing on screen.

_"Malcolm, if you see this, help us"._

They saw Will open the door, and a man was outside.

"That's Deimos" gasped Hope.

"That son of a bitch's had a whole team looking for him outside and he's been in Salem the whole time" Rafe said, angry. "Alright, that's it. We're gonna look for him".

"The CIA's on it already" said Malcolm. "Don't you guys have to collect evidence and stuff anyway?"

Rafe looked at him, offended.

Malcolm shrugged. "I'm not a cop".

"We got a team in charge of that" said Hope. "Will's my nephew, like you. I care about Chad, and I know he's in good hands right now. We'll search for Will with you".

"Alright" said Malcolm.

"But where are we going to look?" asked Rafe. "I know your agency is looking into that but we can't waste time. Deimos is gonna want to kill Will probably".

Malcolm thought about it, and took out his phone. "Looks like we're gonna need a little help from our friends".

* * *

John and Paul were having dinner together at the Pub. John had a sad expression on his face.

"Man, I can't believe you're actually leaving" he lamented.

"I'm really sorry, Dad" said Paul. "But there's mothing for me in this town anymore. At least, not in my love life. And I honestly wouldn't stand seeing Sonny with Will. I deserve to be happy".

"You don't know for sure if Will will accept Sonny back in his life" said John. "Too much time has passed, and Sonny isn't the same person he was four years ago, and you know it. And don't get me wrong, I respect your decision of breaking up, but why does that mean you have to leave?"

Paul shook his head. "It's not only that. There are so many opportunities in San Francisco. I'll be with my mother. But I'll always be grateful for my time here, even if it sucked in the beginning".

"I'd say" said John, still sad. "I'm gonna miss you terribly, kid".

Paul smiled at him. "Me too. Never in a million years I would have imagined I'd find my dad here. Thanks for welcoming me with open arms".

John raised his glass. "You're my son. And I love you. Just call me every once in a while".

Paul raised his glass too, clanking it with John's. "I certainly will".

John's phone rang.

"Excuse me" he said, picking up. "John Black".

 _"Hey John"_ said Malcolm's worried voice.  _"Is Paul by any chance with you right now?"_

"He is" he replied. "Do you want to speak to him?".

 _"I'd actually rather speak to you two"_ Malcolm said.  _"Tell him to come close"._

John frowned. "Uh, I could put it on speaker".

_"Are you guys in public?"_

"We are at the Pub".

_"Then tell him to come close to the phone, dammit! It's important!"_

John glanced at Paul, looking confused. He obliged anyway. "Uh, Malcolm wants to talk to us, come here".

They put their heads close, and John put the phone between them.

"Ok, Malcolm, tell us, what's going on?" he said.

_"Paul, can you hear me?"_

"Yes".

_"Alright. Guys, something terrible has happened. Deimos broke in the DiMera Mansion a while ago"._

John closed his eyes in dismay."Oh, no".

_"Chad's been shot and is in a bad shape, we've rushed him to the hospital. I'm calling because I need your help. Deimos has kidnapped Will again"._

Both Paul and John shared a horrified glance. While Paul didn't know the real Will and had practically ended his relationship with Sonny because of him, he knew better than to let his personal feelings influence on his job.

"Do Sami and Lucas know?" asked John.

_"Not yet. Hope is calling them as we speak"._

"What do you want us to do?" asked Paul.

_"Come to the Mansion. I've already enlisted Hope, Rafe, JJ and Steve. We're already planning the manhunt so come!"_

"We're on our way" said John, standing up and tossing a few bills on the table.

He hung up. "Well, kid, how about some fun before you say goodbye?"

Paul chuckled. "Busting Deimos and make him pay for good. Wouldn't miss it for anything in the world".

They rushed to the door. John got out first, just as Sonny entered the Pub, and he and Paul ran into each other.

"Oh, sorry" said Paul, trying to leave.

"Wait, Paul! I was hoping to talk" said Sonny.

"There's no time!" Paul exclaimed. "I gotta go".

He motioned to leave, but Sonny got in his way. "Why? Where's the fire?"

Paul sighed in exasperation, and grabbed Sonny's arms. "Sonny, I got bad news".

"Oh no, what else?" Sonny groaned.

Paul looked down for a second. He met Sonny's eyes. "Deimos kidnapped Will again. We must find him before he hurts him. Excuse me".

Paul left, leaving Sonny's speechless.

 _"What?"_ Sonny thought.  _"But I just saw him!"_

Suddenly in his eyes appeared rage and a fury no one had ever seen.  _"Oh no. Not this time, Deimos. You won't take him away from me"._

* * *

Sami picked up the phone when it rang. She, EJ and Lucas were having dinner together.

"Hello?"

 _"Hi, Sami, it's me"_ said Hope over the phone.

"Hi, Aunt Hope, what's up?" she greeted.

She heard a sigh.

_"Honey, is Lucas with you?"_

"Yes" she replied with a frown.

_"Put me on speaker, dear"._

Still confused, Sami got back to the table with Lucas and EJ, and put the phone on speaker. "Ok, Aunt Hope, tell us what's going on".

_"Sami, Lucas, you have to be strong"._

Lucas got suspicious. "Hope, what happened?"

_"It's Deimos, dear. He broke into the DiMera Mansion an hour or so ago"._

"What?!" Sami exclaimed, standing up.

"Hope, how did it happen?" asked EJ, a little calm.

 _"We're not sure yet"_ she replied.  _"But we suspect it was by a secret entrance. In fact, we believe there are more secret hallways than Chad knows about"._

"What about Chad? What about Will?" asked Lucas, starting to panic.

 _"Please, be strong"_ said Hope.  _"Chad's been shot, and Will's been kidnapped again"._

"NO!" Sami screamed. EJ had to hold her so she wouldn't lose control. "No, it can't be!"

 _"We're doing everything we can to find him"_ Hope assured.  _"Malcolm found Chad and had him rushed to the hospital. The CIA is already looking for any sign of Deimos"._

"Where's Malcolm?" asked Lucas, as Sami cried on EJ's arms. "Is he with you?"

 _"He is"_ she replied.  _"Malcolm, your dad wants to speak to you"._

They heard some movement, until Malcolm's voice came out of the phone.

_"Hey, Lucas"._

"Malcolm, tell us everything".

Malcolm sighed.  _"Chad called me, and he didn't sound ok. In fact, he passed out in the middle of it, so I rushed to the Mansion and found him seriously hurt. And Will was nowhere to be found. He left a video of him in his room asking for my help, and just then Deimos appeared. They fought, but Deimos took him anyway"._

"Oh my God" he lamented.

 _"Don't worry, Lucas. We'll find him"_ Malcolm assured.  _"And we're gonna make the son of a bitch pay"._

Lucas nodded. "Ok, ok. But you can't go alone. As resourceful and skilled you are, Deimos is very powerful".

_"Says who?"_

"I do!" he exclaimed. He got a resolute expression on his face. "In fact, I forbid you to go alone."

_"You what?"_

"Malcolm Riley Horton, I forbid you to go alone!" he repeated. "Either you get help or you don't take part in this mission".

 _"Fine! I wasn't going to go alone anyway"_ Malcolm grunted.  _"I just put together a little army to go find him"._

Lucas nodded again. "Good. I trust you. Now go find your brother and bring him safe".

_"I will"._

Malcolm hung up.

"Oh my God" cried Sami. "We just got him back, how can this happen?"

"They will find him, sweetheart" said EJ. "They will find him".

Sami suddenly gasped. "Oh my God, Chad! He's in the hospital, we must go and see if he's ok!"

"As much as I want to check on my brother" he replied. "I'm worried about you. Both of you, actually".

"Let's go" said Lucas. "Looking after Chad might keep us busy and distracted from the fact of potentially losing our son again".

"You won't" said EJ, standing up. "Malcolm's a good agent, he'll find him".

Sami wiped away her tears. "Not a word to the kids, ok? Not a word!"

Lucas nodded. "I should call Gabi".

"I will" said EJ. "You two get going".

Sami and Lucas left, and EJ took out his phone.

 _"Might as well call Father too"_ he thought as he dialed.

* * *

John and Paul took a minute to catch their breaths when they got to the Mansion.

Malcolm approached them. "Gee, guys, you ran all the way from the Pub".

"Terrible idea, terrible idea" John panted.

"Ok!" said Steve as he loaded his guns. "Now that we're all here, we should make a quick plan about what're gonna do".

Malcolm looked at him. "Dude, this is an emergency! There's no time to make any plans!"

Steve shrugged. "Neither the ISA nor the CIA have called with any information. I just figured we could get ready for anything that waits for us".

"Whatever" said Malcolm. "Ok. What do we do?"

Rafe gathered everyone. "I believe we can do this the old fashioned way"

John raised an eyebrow. "Which is?"

"We all outnumber Deimos" he replied. "He'll have to surrender".

"But then probably he'll take Will and threaten to kill him if we don't drop the guns" said JJ. "It's always like that".

"We are way too numerous" said Paul. "He'll have no choice. One of us will have the perfect angle to shoot him without hurting Will if we surround him".

"That could work" said Hope. "But he trajectory of a bullet is never straight. There's always a curvature. And in this situation we can't stop and calculate. We must think and act fast".

"So that takes care of it" said Steve. "Alright, prepare yourselves. That call should be coming soon".

As in cue, while everyone cocked their guns, Malcolm's phone rang.

"It's them" he said, picking up. "Horton. Yes. You sure? Great, I'll call you back. Dead or alive".

He hung up. "Alright. Deimos was seen by some warehouse at the docks".

"You're kidding" said Rafe. He scoffed. "Why do all kidnappers choose a warehouse as their hideout?"

"If it's that predictable, why haven't you searched there first?" Malcolm shot back.

"Ok, let's not waste our time arguing" said John, opening the door. "Let's move, come on!"

As everyone got out, Malcolm stopped Paul. "Hey, I just wanted to say that I'm sorry about you and Jackson".

Paul shrugged. "I'll survive. Sonny and I will remain friends. We're ok".

Malcolm nodded. "Also, I'm sorry we ruined your wedding".

Paul chuckled. "Don't worry about it. That's actually my chance to start over".

"What do you mean?"

"I'm leaving Salem".

"Oh. I'm sorry it didn't work out for you".

Paul shrugged. "Let's go find Will. Making Deimos pay can be my goodbye gift".

Malcolm chuckled and folloed him outside.

* * *

Abigail ran inside the hall of the hospital and ran into Gabi. Both women embraced.

"Oh my God, Gabi" she cried.

"It's ok" Gabi consoled. "Chad's in surgery right now, and Kayla's with him. He's in great hands, we'll get through this".

"Where are Ari and Thomas?" Abby asked.

"With the sitter" she replied. "They don't know what happened yet, and I honestly hope they save Chad and find Will".

"Oh my God, Will!" Abby said. "What exactly happened to him?"

Gabi started crying too. "Deimos kidnapped him again! Rafe thinks he's also responsible for Chad's shooting".

Suddenly, a loud music was heard from the TV in the waiting room.  _"This is breaking news, direct from Salem"._

Both Abby and Gabi turned to the TV, as the reporter appeared on screen. The guy was actually outside the hospital.

_"Mark Miller direct live from Salem University Hospital. It's been reported that just moments ago, DiMera Enterprises CEO Chad DiMera was allegedly shot by Deimos Kiriakis, this is unconfirmed information we got from witnesses who live close to the DiMera Mansion. It's also been reported, I repeat, unconfirmed information, that William Horton, revealed to have been kidnapped by Kiriakis and replaced by a doppelganger, has been taken again. But what we can confirm is that Chad DiMera is indeed severely injured and has been brought to the hospital that's behind me. His condition has been reported to be critical. We'll come back with more information as soon as we get it"._

Abby cried again, as Lucas, EJ and Sami arrived, followed by Jennifer, Abigail's mother. As EJ disappeared through a hallway, Jennifer ran and hugged her daughter. "It's ok, it's ok".

"Any word on Chad?" asked Sami.

Gabi shook her head. "None. But the shooting and kidnapping has already appeared on the news".

Sami rolled her eyes. "What do those bastards know anyway?"

EJ came to her. He looked quite disturbed. "Chad's condition  _is_ critical. He's got a perforated lung and they suspect the bullet grazed his heart".

"Oh" said Sami as she hugged him tightly.

Meanwhile, Lucas approached his niece. "How are you?"

Abby sniffed. "I'll be ok. But you aren't, Uncle Lucas. I heard about Will".

Lucas nodded. "Malcolm and his team are moving earth and sky to find him".

Abby nodded. "I know Will's brave. He'll hang on, and Malcolm's gonna find him. I know it".

"That's what's important" said Jennifer. "Never give up hope".

Suddenly, the room went silent. Everyone turned to the elevator, from where Stefano was coming out. He looked furious, and there was fire in his eyes.

EJ quickly approached him. "Father".

Stefano turned to him.

"Deimos Kiriakis is a dead man".

* * *

In the OR, Chad lied on the table as Kayla and other surgeons operated on him.

"We need more blood!" she called.

"Damn, this is a mess!" said her fellow surgeon.

"As long as that heart keeps beating, we got time to close the wound".

"Dr Brady, everytime we clean the lung, more blood appears!" he exclaimed.

"Then be fast!" she said. "You're not a surgeon for nothing!"

A nurse came with another bag of blood, and connected it.

"Alright, close the wound in the lung" Kayla ordered. "How's the heart?"

"Unharmed, thank God" the surgeon replied. "I'll repair the broken blood vessels".

"Alright" she said, before raising her voice. "Everyone, prepare to stitch him up!"

Suddenly, the machine that controlled Chad's heart rate started beeping faster.

"Keep moving, people!" said Kayla. "Massage the heart!"

The surgeon obeyed, but the beeping went even faster.

The beeping seemed to start to slow down, but went faster again.

"We're losing him!" The surgeon said.

They started working faster on Chad, but the machine flatlined.

* * *

Will stared at the gun that Deimos had on his face.

"Now I would ask for some final words but I guess that would be inappropriate" said Deimos, for Will was gagged.

 _"Very funny, bitch"_ Will though, glaring at Deimos.

"Let me tell you, you have no meaning to me" he said, still pointing at Will. "And it's not like you know about my plans. I'm a wanted man no matter what. I guess this is revenge for ruining my projects. I'll appreciate you remain quiet".

His tone became mocking. "After all you've been through, you don't deserve a painful death, do you?"

Suddenly, the door of the warehouse burst open, and Malcolm, John, Paul, JJ, Steve, Rafe and Hope entered, raising their guns and yelling the names of the CIA, ISA and Salem PD.

Deimos's smirk disappeared. "No!"

Will, on the other hand, relaxed a bit.

"Drop the gun!" Malcolm yelled. "It's over, Deimos. Let Will go and put your hands in the air!"

"How did you find me?" Deimos asked.

"It's a small town" said John. "Now let the kid go. You're outnumbered".

When Deimos didn't do anything, Hope stepped up. "Deimos, drop it!"

Deimos suddenly smirked. "Did you actually think this woukd be it? You'd take me me in that easily? Well, newsflash, losers. It's a good thing I am cautious".

JJ was the first to turned around and shoot. Deimos's goons appeared out of nowhere and shooting. Everyone ducked and shot back.

"Damn you, Deimos!" Steve cursed, as he shot.

Deimos untied Will and took him outside, ducking his head so he wouldn't get caught in the crossfire. Malcolm followed him.

"Stop right there!" he yelled, pointing his gun at Deimos's back.

Deimos turned around and smirked, as Will struggled to break free from his grip. Deimos, being taller and stronger, held him tighter. "You stop. I'm the one holding your brother. One move and he dies".

Malcolm motioned to make a move, but something hit his head, making him fall.

One of Deimos's goons had escaped the shootout that was still taking place inside the warehouse and had hit Malcolm with the back of his gun. He was about to shoot him when another shot was heard, and he fell to the ground, dead.

Malcolm looked at the warehouse. Paul had followed the goon and had his gun raised.

"Let him go, Deimos!" he shouted.

"Oh, no. I have had it with you boys" Deimos replied, still struggling with Will.

Malcolm, still on the ground, regaining consciousness after the hit, heard a loud gunshot that came from where Deimos was.

"NO!"

There was silence. Will had closed his eyes, expecting death to finally come to him. But he opened them again when he felt a strange liquid falling on his head.

Malcolm and Paul watched in horror, thinking Deimos had shot Will, for they saw blood on his blond head. Only, it actually came from Deimos's head.

The shootout inside the warehouse ended, and Deimos loosened his grip on Will and fell to the ground. Will managed to break free and stepped aside from Deimos, who lied on the grass, dead.

The three men looked up, and gasped.

Sonny was behind Deimos's body, raising a smoking gun.


	29. Chapter 29

"Keep moving people!" said Kayla. "Massage the heart!"

The surgeon obeyed, but the beeping went even faster.

The beeping seemed to slow down, but went faster again.

"We're losing him!" the surgeon said.

They started working faster on Chad, but the machine flatlined.

"Massage the heart, dammit!" Kayla exclaimed.

The surgeon tried, but the machine wasn't changing.

Kayla got fed up. "Ugh, give it!"

She pushed the surgeon aside, and grabbed Chad's heart with her own hands, and massaged it. "Come on, Chad, don't die on us. You got so much to live for! Live! Live, dammit!"

Kayla hated doing this. It wasn't like it happened on a daily basis, but whenever the team found themselves in this situation, there was very little chance the patient could survive. Sometimes the efforts were in vain, for the patient was already dead.

But of course, there were also times when it was all worth it in the end. Like that moment. The machine started beeping again, and when Kayla let go of the heart, it was beating normally on its own.

She sighed in relief. "Make sure nothing's wrong in the system and stitch him up. We're done here".

* * *

Malcolm looked at the warehouse. Paul had followed the goon and had his gun raised.

"Let him go, Deimos!" he shouted.

"Oh, no. I have had it with you boys" Deimos replied, still struggling with Will.

Malcolm, still on the ground, regaining consciousness after the hit, heard a loud gunshot that came from where Deimos was.

"NO!"

There was silence. Will had closed his eyes, expecting death to finally come to him. But he opened them again when he felt a strange liquid falling on his head.

Malcolm and Paul watched in horror, thinking Deimos had shot Will, for they saw blood on his blond head. Only, it actually came from Deimos's head.

The shootout inside the warehouse ended, and Deimos loosened his grip on Will and fell to the ground. Will managed to break free and stepped aside from Deimos, who lied on the grass, dead.

The three men looked up, and gasped.

Sonny was behind Deimos's body, raising a smoking gun. He looked angry, resolute, and scared, all at the same time, for he had acted just following his instincts, something he hadn't done in quite some time.

The fact that Will, Malcolm and Paul were looking at him in shock wasn't making the situation any better.

"Jackson" said Malcolm, in a horrified whisper. "What the hell have you done?"

Sonny dropped the gun in shock, not knowing what to do. He wasn't even sure of what had happened either. He had silently followed the team that looked for Will in hopes of doing anything he could to help. Only, he hadn't thought of what.

"They're coming" said Paul, as he heard voices that approached.

"Dammit, Jackson" said Malcolm, pushing Sonny aside and taking the gun from the ground, for he knew he could get in trouble if they found out Sonny had been the one who pulled the trigger. Not that Malcolm saw the point, though.

"Oh my God" said Hope, the first one who got where they were, after hugging Will in relief and catching sight of Deimos's body. "Malcolm, what the hell?

Malcolm raised his hands in surrender. "What?"

"Geez!" Steve exclaimed, looking at the cadaver. "Way to go, Malcolm!"

Hope glared at him. "Malcolm, this was not part of the plan!"

Malcolm frowned. "How not? We planned to shoot the guy!"

"On the shoulder or the leg, not on on his head!" she exclaimed.

"Aunt Hope, please leave it" said Will. "Deimos is dead, there's nothing to do about it".

Hope rubbed her hand on her face in dismay.

Just in that moment, John and Rafe, who had stayed at the warehouse checking the damages, joined them.

John caught sight of the body first, and after looking at Malcolm holding the gun, sighed in dismay. "Oh, come on, Malcolm".

"What, why is everyone so upset about this?" Malcolm complained. "It's not like I haven't killed bad guys before, and it's certainly not like you guys wanted to shoot him first, is it?"

Sonny, determined to not let Malcolm take the fall for what he had done, be it for morality or his own pride, stepped up. "No, come on, actually I..."

"Jackson, shut the hell up" Malcolm ordered.

It was then when everyone noticed Sonny was there.

"Sonny, what the hell are you doing here?" asked Steve.

Sonny tried to tell the truth again. "I..."

"He thought it would be a good idea to come and help" Malcolm interrupted again. "Not that we would have let him, since he's a civilian. And come on, it's Jackson. He must have had a well-rehearsed speech about morality and family to talk Deimos out of hurting Will".

Will snorted, trying not to laugh. Jackson, on the other hand, glared at him.

Steve, however, thought it made sense and shrugged. "I guess".

"We'll have a serious talk about this later" said Hope. "We must go back to Salem right away. I'll stay until the forensics take the body".

Everyone started to walk away.

Paul approached Malcolm and Will. "You know, you'll be lucky if you get away with this. Lying of who the actual culprit is".

Malcolm shrugged. "Haven't we all?"

Paul shrugged too. During the heat of the moment, there had been a silent agreement between Malcolm, Will and Paul that no one would say Sonny had actually shot and killed Deimos, for he would get arrested for intervening in a dangerous operation. Besides, it was easier for Malcolm to deal with the cops anyway.

With all that in mind, Paul turned to Will, and offered his hand. "I believe I never got to introduce myself properly. Paul Narita, nice to meet you this time for real. I'm deeply sorry for what you went through".

Will shook his hand. "Will Horton. But you already knew that, I think. I'm sorry that guy made your life hell posing as me".

"Eh, you had nothing to do with it" Paul dismissed. "I'm glad you're back where you belong. Maybe you'll get to get back all that time you lost".

He glanced at Sonny.

Will looked at him apologetically. "I'm sorry my return ruined your wedding and put an end to your relationship".

"The spark was long gone" he sadly replied. "We just didn't want to admit it and hid our true emotions, which led us to engage and try to marry the same week. It's not your fault".

Will nodded. "Thanks".

"Just" Paul said. "Make him happy, will you?"

"I don't even know if I want to be with him" he said. "Too much time has passed".

Paul shrugged as he left. "Don't you owe it to yourself to find out?"

Will watched him leave. "He's nice. Even if he ruined Sonny's marriage to my double".

"Yeah, well" said Malcolm, looking at Sonny, who was staring at Deimos's dead body. "The guy's leaving town. Again, not your fault. I guess he wanted to actually meet you and say goodbye".

"He really thinks Sonny and I should try again?"

"That's for you to decide" he replied. "I won't interfere, and I'll make sure no one does either. Now come on, let's make that one accept the fact he just murdered his uncle".

He and Will approached Sonny.

"You ok, Jackson?"

Sonny stared at him. "Um, yeah. It's just..."

"Surreal, huh?" he said. "I felt the same way the first time I killed a guy. It's not right, but sometimes it's what you gotta do, well, considering what I do. Don't get used to that".

Will stared at Deimos's face. He suddenly felt rage once again building up inside of him, and felt the need to spit on him. Just a last effort to profane the body for the hell he had been through thanks to him. But he didn't.  _"I'm better than that"._

"Now we all have something in common" said Malcolm, interrupting his thoughts. "We have all pulled a trigger on someone".

"Please don't remind me" said Will. "And that's supposed to be a secret, how the hell do you know that?"

"Nevermind" he evaded. "We should get going. But first..."

He turned to Sonny again, who was distracted staring at Deimos's corpse again, and punched him hard on the arm.

Sonny winced in pain. "Ow! The hell was that?!"

"I still don't like you" said Malcolm.

"Yeah, that makes two of us" Sonny grunted.

"Just go" said Macolm, making him walk. "Before I beat you up. I may not like you, but for some reason my brother does, so this is the last time I take the blame for something you do".

"Like you've done that before" Sonny murmured, rubbing his arm and walking away.

Will shook his head, chuckling. "You wouldn't beat him up".

Malcolm rolled his eyes. "Yeah, I wouldn't. You'd probably cry like a big baby if I did".

"Shut up" Will said. "You do care about me".

"I used to be an only child until all of a sudden a father, four siblings and a niece were thrown at me" he shrugged. "It's not that bad, though".

"No, it's not" Will smiled.

Malcolm looked at Will carefully. He hadn't seen it earlier, but with the help of the moonlight, he could see how bruised Will's face was.  _"That son of a bitch"._

"And we gotta take you to the hospital too" he said. "That face of yours doesn't look good at all. Does it hurt?"

Will touched his face. It didn't hurt that much, but he could totally imagine how he must have been looking. Still, he thought it was nothing a pack of ice wouldn't solve. Until...

"Oh my God" he gasped. "Oh my God, Chad".

He dropped himself on the ground, taking his hands to his head.

Malcolm frowned as he looked at him.  _"He's definitely worse than I thought"_

Will wasn't crying yet, but he was totally freaking out. "Chad, oh no, Chad, he can't, he can't be dead".

"Huh?" Malcolm said, as his frown grew deeper.

"Chad!" Will exclaimed. "Oh my God, and he died protecting me! Abby's a widow and Thomas is an orphan because of me! Just one day in Salem and I'm already causing problems!"

"Will, what the hell are you talking about?" said Malcolm. "Chad's not dead. Yeah, Deimos shot him, and he must be in the OR as we speak, but he's not dead. The guy's a fighter, he won't die".

Will seemed to calm down a little. "Yeah?"

"Of course!" said Malcolm. "Now, you may want to stand up again, this is embarrasing".

Will obliged.

"Now you wanna be checked out?" Malcolm asked.

"I'll get a doctor to see my face" said Will. "But I want to see Chad. He didn't deserve what happened to him".

"No, he didn't" Malcolm agreed, walking away with him.

* * *

Abby paced around the room, worried sick. Stefano was oddly quiet, and Lucas, EJ and Sami were having coffee.

It was harder for them, because, even though they were genuinely worried about Chad too, they were more worried about Will. Some hours had passed, and Malcolm hadn't called, which made them feel more and more anxious as the minutes passed.

"Why do you think it's taking so long?" said Abby. "They should have finished with Chad like an hour ago! I volunteered here, for God's sake, I know how long these surgeries take".

"Relax" said Gabi. "Maybe they're trying to be extra careful with Chad. He was critically injured, they must not make any mistakes".

"Abigail" said Stefano. "Stop worrying. Chad'll be just fine".

"I hope so" she replied. "I don't know what I'd do without him".

"You'll always have us" he said, offering her a smile.

"Oh my God" she groaned, walking out of the waiting room.

Stefano rolled his eyes as Gabi followed her friend.

Meanwhile, EJ, Sami and Lucas were at a corner of the room, trying not to lose it.

Especially Sami, who every now and then checked her phone. "Ugh, what's taking so long?"

"Try to calm down, sweetheart" said EJ. "It won't make the waiting any easier".

"Deimos is a sneaky guy" said Lucas. "I trust Malcolm. I know he'll find him and bring Will safe. Besides, have you seen the size of that machine gun?"

"Yeah, are teens his age even allowed to touch one of those?" she asked with a frown.

Lucas shrugged. "He knows how to use it, that's for sure".

Abigail entered again, with her arms crossed, followed, again, by Gabi.

"You should not have yelled at that nurse" she scolded.

"Hey, what happened?" asked Jeniffer.

"Nevermind" said Abby, visibly annoyed.

Suddenly, Lucas's phone rang. He looked at the caller's ID. "It's Malcolm".

"Pick up! Pick up!" said Sami, as EJ held her arms in support.

Lucas obliged, and put the phone on speaker. Everyone gathered around him. "Malcolm, what is it?"

 _"We're on our way"_ said Malcolm over the phone.  _"We found Will. Deimos is dead"._

Everyone sighed and cheered in relief.

"Oh thank God!" Sami exclaimed.

"Are you ok?" Lucas asked.

 _"Oh, I am"_ he replied.  _"Will's a little bruised, we're going to the hospital to get him checked out"._

"A little bruised?"

_"Yeah, that son of a bitch wouldn't give in without a fight. Don't worry, the guy has a bullet in the head so I guess he got the worst part. Anyway, how's Chad doing? Someone here's dying to know"._

"He's still in surgery" said Abby. "They're taking longer than expected".

 _"Oh, don't worry, I'm sure they got things under control"_ he said.

"Malcolm, where did you find Deimos?" asked EJ.

_"In a freaking warehouse. Can you believe the lack of originality of these bad gus when it comes to kidnappings? It's always a stupid warehouse!"_

"Huh" said Abby and Gabi at the same time, thinking about the times they had been kidnapped before.

Gabi shrugged. "He's right".

 _"Anyway, I gotta go"_ said Malcolm.  _"We'll be there in a few"._

"Give Will a big kiss from me!" said Sami.

 _"Yeah, if he lets me"_ Malcolm joked, hanging up.

Lucas put his phone in his pocket and hugged Sami. "Our son's ok".

"He is" she said.

EJ smiled at them, turned his head, and saw Jeniffer with a small notepad. "Are you serious?"

"What? It's big news" she defended. "The Spectator is the only newspaper in town anyway".

Just in that moment, Kayla walked in the room.

Abigail would've tackled her had she walked to her faster. "How is he?"

Stefano approached too.

Kayla looked at them. "The operation was a success".

"Oh, thank you so much, Aunt Kayla" said Abby, hugging her, as everyone else smiled at the news.

"Anytime, dear" she replied, and pulled away. "However, we need to monitor him very closely".

"Were there any complications?" Stefano asked.

Kayla hesitated a bit. "Actually, yes. Chad went into cardiac arrest near the end of the surgery. We managed to stabilize him, and he's ok now, but the next 24 hours are crutial to determine he doesn't go into that again. We highly doubt it, because he's young and healthy, but better safe than sorry, right?"

"Thank you, Kayla" said Stefano.

Kayla nodded. "I should go. He's in recovery, and we'll let you know when we take him to a room".

"Thank you" said Abigail, as Kayla left.

She, Gabi and Jennifer got into a group hug.

"Oh, we should go to the lobby and receive the others!" said Sami.

They all went outside.

* * *

In the back of Paul's car, which followed John and Hope's cars, Will had fallen asleep on Sonny's shoulder. Sonny looked slightly uncomfortable and awkward, Paul had decided he didn't care anymore, and Malcolm, who sat on the passenger seat, pretended he ignored them both.

"So" said Malcolm, putting away his phone after talking to Lucas. "Tonight was interesting".

He turned to Sonny, who was trying to ignore the fact that Will had his head on his shoulder. "Wanna say why you followed us?"

"Who's the gun of anyway?" asked Paul.

"My Uncle Victor" he replied.

Malcolm took out the silver gun. He frowned. "This the one Gabi killed Will's cousin with?"

Sonny didn't answer.

Malcolm chuckled. "I so wanna see Victor's face. I'll have to be fast making a story up about how I got it".

"Why did you take the fall for killing Deimos?" Sonny asked.

Malcolm shrugged. "The boss would kill me if he found out a civilian got in the way of the operation. And the agency wanted Deimos's blood anyway".

"Also" he added. "That would make the guy leaning on you pretty happy".

"Malcolm can handle the cops" said Paul. "They might want to charge him with extrajudicial execution or something like that. Only a CIA agent has the tricks to walk free".

"Damn right" Malcolm agreed. "You still haven't said why you followed us".

Sonny sighed. "Once again, I acted deliberately".

Malcolm thought about it. "Makes sense".

"Wake Will up" said Paul. "We're here".

* * *

As Stefano and Abigail waited for Kayla to tell them they could see Chad, Gabi was on the phone with the sitter.

"No, it's ok, bring them to the hospital and you're done for the day" she was saying. "Ok, thanks".

She hung up and turned around, as the elevator opened.

"Oh my God, Will!"

Everyone gathered around, welcoming Will again, who was being followed by everyone involved in the operation to save him.

Will hugged his parents, Gabi, and then Abigail.

"I'm so, so sorry" he said. "It's my fault he's in there, I'll move out tonight if you want".

"No, Will, it's ok, it's ok" she consoled. "It's not your fault. And you don't have to move out. We're very happy that you're staying with us".

Will nodded, and pulled away, sniffing.

"How is he?" he asked.

"He'll be ok" she replied, as Will sighed in relief. "You're ok and Chad's ok, and that's all that matters".

Will nodded.

Sami approached, and cupped his face. "Your face, baby, your beautiful face".

"Relax, Mom, it's not like my face's been disfigured" he said.

"Still" said Sami. "Ugh, if only that piece of scum was still alive".

"I know" Will chuckled. "I know".

Then, Kayla came and approached Abigail and Stefano. "Chad's been transferred to room 405. You can see him now, but only one at a time".

Abigail turned to Stefano. He just shrugged. "You go first".

"Are you sure?" Abby asked.

"You are his wife" he replied. "The one he needs the most. Now go".

Abby nodded and rushed to Chad's room, as Kayla went to Will, to treat his bruises.

Jennifer approached Stefano.

"You know" she said. "I hate to admit this. But, you are a pretty good father-in-law to her".

Stefano raised an eyebrow. "Ok?"

"This doesn't change how we all feel about you" she added.

Stefano chuckled. "The love of the people of Salem will always remain in my heart".

* * *

Abby entered the room. Chad lied on the bed, asleep, as the machine that monitored his heart rate beeped normally.

She approached her husband and stared at him for a while.

"You gave me quite a scare" she said. "Not that it's the first time. Maybe you should just try to stay away from trouble like everyone else".

She sighed. "But then again I've known you for years to know that will never happen. You risked your life trying to protect Will from Deimos. You'd be glad to know that he's safe, just as he's glad to know you're safe. You've been best friends for a long time, I completely understand why you did it. Doesn't change the fact that I'm mad at you for almost making me a widow".

"I love you so, so much" she continued. "I don't know what I'd do without you. And Thomas needs his daddy too. He's actually on his way to see you. I think that will make you feel better".

She kissed him. "Sleep tight. I'll be back soon, ok?"

Abby caressed Chad's hair, kissed his forehead and left.

Then, Stefano entered. He slowly approached his son, and grabbed his hand.

"I'm an old man" he started, after a few minutes in silence. "I tend to say things I don't mean. Like the last time we spoke. I know I am not the most moral man on Earth, but it would have  _killed_ me to know that was the last thing I ever said to you. I'm sorry".

"I love you, son" he said. "And I am  _proud_ of everything you have achieved. In business, and in family. And now this. You are a fighter, son. I've known that since the moment I met you".

Stefano wasn't the type of guy who had moments to profess love for others. Everyone in town knew that. But he hoped Chad would get how sorry he was for insulting him. He left the room, after patting his son's hand.

* * *

"Are you kidding?" Rafe hissed on the phone. "Because it doesn't make sense! The guy was a threat, he was going to kill his brother! No, it's not right! Yes, he was saved. No".

Hope approached him as he sighed. "Look, we don't need that. We don't need more problems than we already have! Ok. Ok, fine".

He hung up, clearly annoyed.

"Is everything ok?" Hope asked.

"That was the commisioner" Rafe grunted. "He wanted updates on Deimos's case. Had to tell him what happened".

Hope nodded. "And?"

"He's not happy" he replied.

"I noticed, by the way you talked on the phone".

"That's not the worst of it. He said orders are orders and they must be followed until the very end".

"Well, that's true" she said. "Why is that a bad thing?"

Rafe tilted his head to the side. "Because you're not gonna like what I'm about to do".

* * *

Will entered Chad's room. He was hungry and tired, for it was already past midnight, but he couldn't find it in himself to eat anything or sleep, not when his friend was in that state, especially because of him, no matter what anyone said.

Once again, his friend needed him, and he was more than willing to be there.

He sat next to the bed, and grabbed his hand. He took a deep breath.

"I'm sorry" he said. "You've had so much trouble, finding me, taking care of me, protecting me and getting shot. You always say I've been the best friend you've ever had but I want you to know  _you_ are the best friend I've ever had".

"I'm sorry you are here. Believe me when I say, the last thing I ever wanted was for anyone to get hurt, especially you". He smiled slightly as he recalled a part of a recent conversation they had had. "You're like my big brother. I love you, man, we all do".

His eyes watered as he kept staring at Chad's sleeping face. "Please don't hate me. I never wanted this, please don't hate me".

He put his head down, sobbing quietly.

"I would never" said a whisper.

Will raised his head again.

Chad was looking at him, blinking a lot, as his eyes adapted to the light of the room.

Will smiled at him, relieved. "Hey, man".

"Hey" he said, in a hoarse voice. He frowned a little. "Are we dead?"

"No" said Will. "We're very much alive. Deimos, on the other hand, wasn't so lucky".

Chad grinned. "Great. What happened to your face?"

"I may have tried to fight him" he said.

"I see" he said. "Why are you crying?"

Will shook his head. "It's my fault you're here. I could have stayed anywhere. You could have died, and..."

"Stop it" Chad said. "If anyone should be sorry it's me. I vowed to protect you and I failed. I didn't evenget the chance to fight. Deimos shot me the minute we were face to face".

"How could you know it was him?" Will said. He rubbed his friend's hand. "I'm glad you're ok".

"Me too" he replied. "Have you seen Abby?"

"She's actually outside, the sitter is bringing the kids".

"Ah good. Hey speaking of them, I've finally gotten a chance to ask you".

"What is it?"

"Will you be Thomas's godfather?"

Will frowned. "Doesn't he have one already?"

Chad shrugged. "With all the drama going on we couldn't find time for his christening. So, now that you're back to us, will you? You know Thomas loves you".

"He like just met me" Will chuckled. "But, yes, I'll be his godfather".

"Awesome" Chad smiled. "I can't wait to tell Abby".

Will nodded. "I'll let you rest. I should too".

"But wait, you must give me a goodnight kiss! I know you want to" he teased.

Will frowned, but then narrowed his eyes. "What did my mom tell you?"

"What?" said Chad innocently. "I know I've been a pretty irresistible guy and..."

"Oh my God!" Will groaned, as Chad laughed. "She's so dead".

"Hey, I can't blame you for having the hots for me" he said. "But tell me, did you think about me when you...?"

"Shut up!" Will said, horrified, as Chad laughed so hard it literally hurt. He went to the door. "I'll get you a nurse".

* * *

"So, I shot him and Deimos fell dead" said Malcolm, as he finished telling Lucas, EJ and Sami what had happened.

"That was a very risky move" said Sami.

"I can calcullate my shots" said Malcolm. "Will was freed unharmed".

"That's good to know" said Lucas, as Will got out of Chad's room and went to speak to Abigail and a nurse. "See? I told you I trusted you could do this".

"I had help" he said.

"Chad's awake" said Will, joining them. "They're now checking him out".

"Oh, that's good" said EJ. "I'll go see him once they finish".

"Well" said Malcolm, checking his watch. "It's already too late for a pizza, so I guess a muffin from the cafeteria will have to do".

"There won't be time for that" said Rafe, approaching him with a pair of handcuffs. "Malcolm Horton, you're under arrest".

"Man, what the hell?" said Lucas.

"Hey, you can't do that, he saved my life!" said Will.

"Twice" Malcolm said, as Rafe put the handcuffs on him and told him his Miranda rights.

"May we know the charges?" asked EJ.

"The murder of Deimos Kiriakis" said Rafe. "Turns out his death is considered extrajudicial execution".

"He had a gun on me!" Will insisted.

"Malcolm, you're not going with them" said Lucas.

"Occupational hazzards, Lucas" said Malcolm. "It's nothing that hasn't happened to me before".

"Malcolm, they can't just arrest you!" Will insisted.

"Don't worry about me, man" he replied, as Rafe took him away. "I'll be back in 12 hours or so!"


	30. Chapter 30

_Will lied asleep on his bed. What he was dreaming of no one knew, but he was waken up by the soft sound of the shower running inside the bathroom the bedroom had._

_He slowly opened his eyes and rubbed them. He looked down the covers to see he wasn't wearing anything._

"What the hell?"  _he thought._

_The sound of the water stopped. The door of the bathroom opened, and lots of steam came out, as Chad, with only a towel around his waist and drops of water all over his body, came out._

_Will's eyes widened as Chad smirked._

_"Morning" he greeted._

_When Will didn't answer, he just chuckled._

_"Well" he said. "Is it hot in here or just me?"_

_Will didn't say anything. He was way too confused, and slightly intriged, to figure out what on Earth was going on. But Chad didn't seem to mind._

_He lifted an eyebrow as he let the towel fall to the floor, enjoying how Will opened his mouth in shock at the view. And what a view, he would say._

_"I have a pretty good idea" he finally replied, stunned, shocked, confused. There were no words._

_Chad's smirk never left his face, as he approached the bed._

_"Well" he said, pulling the covers from the bed and putting himself on top of him. Little drops of water fell from his hair on Will's face. "I know I am"._

_He drew his face closer and kissed him, long and passionately, as Will let himself get carried away and placed his hands on Chad's face, rolling in the bed, never pulling away, and touching..._

* * *

Will startled awake. His back was sore from sleeping in that uncomfortable hospital chair, so he stood up and stretched.

Remembering the dream he had just had, he rolled his eyes and groaned in distaste.

"Damn you, Chad" he murmured.

 _"Didn't I use to have these kind of dreams like years ago?"_ he thought, shivering, as he looked around.  _"Nevermind"._

Chad was asleep on his bed, as the machine that monitored his heart rate beeped normally. Abigail was asleep too, on the chair next to the bed. Thomas, on the other hand, was quietly playing with a toy car and his stuffed elephant.

Will checked his watch. It wasn't too early, but after what had happened he couldn't sleep too much.

Lucas, Sami and EJ had gone with Rafe and Malcolm to the station, claiming it was unfair to arrest him for killing an armed, crazy guy. Jennifer had gone too, taking notes of everything that went on. Will had tried to go with them, but Malcolm didn't let him, for he needed to rest after their terrible ordeal.

He looked at Thomas. He was waving at him with the stuffed elephant. Will couldn't help but smile. The little boy was just too cute.

"Hey, buddy" he said in a low voice, as he approached and sat next to him on the floor.

"Mah!" Thomas exclaimed, grinning.

"Oh" Will said, shushing the kid, and looking at the bed. Chad didn't even move. "We gotta be careful and let your Daddy sleep, ok? He's had a rough day".

Thomas nodded, although Will was pretty sure the baby hadn't understood a single word he had said. But he went back to playing quietly, so Will figured that was a good sign.

 _"I've missed so much"_ he thought.  _"Ari is incredibly big, I have another brother, Chad has a son and is married"._

He shook his head.  _"Sonny moved on"._

He remembered what Paul had told him the previous night.  _"Poor him. I never wanted any of this"._

He snapped out of his thoughts when he felt something tapping on his knee. He glanced at Thomas, who was offering him his toy car.

"You want me to play with you?" he asked, taking the car. "Ok, then".

Thomas grabbed his elephant and shook him over the car on Will's hand, roaring and making weird noises.

Will had to put a hand on his mouth to avoid laughter. "I'm pretty sure elephants don't roar".

"Hm?" said a sleepy voice behind him. "Who's roaring?"

Will turned around. Abby had just waken up, and looked slightly disoriented.

"Hey, Abby" he greeted.

"Hey" she said, as she turned to give her son a big kiss. "Hi, sweetie! How's my big boy?"

"Mah!" Thomas happily exclaimed, making grabby hands at his mommy, as Abby gladly picked him up.

"Yes! I'm your 'mah'!" she happily cooed, and turned to Will. "I bet he has no idea what that means, though".

Will chuckled. "Ari used to say that to Gabi all the time. He'll eventually form words real soon".

"Oh, he can say a few things" she replied. "He only needs to practise".

Will nodded, standing up and taking Thomas from Abby, so she could check on Chad. "So, Chad asked me something about Thomas last night".

"Yeah? What was it?"

"He asked me to be your son's godfather".

Abby suddenly turned to him, grinning. "And what did you say?"

"I said yes" he smiled.

"I knew it" she said, hugging him. "Thank you so much"

"It was nothing" he replied. "I mean, you accepted to be Ari's godmother, why wouldn't I accept to do the same for your kid?"

"I know, thank you so much!" she said, pulling away, and turning to her son in Will's arms. "Look, sweetie, this guy is going to be your guide in life besides Mommy and Daddy".

Thomas glanced at Will again, and put his little hand on Will's face, making him laugh. "I like you too, kid. And don't worry, I will always have gum".

"Oh, don't spoil him before he even knows what gum is" she said, smacking lightly his arm and laughing.

Will put Thomas down, and the little boy ran to the corner where he had left his toys, and began playing again.

"I'm glad you're ok" she said. "It's been a crazy week, huh?"

"Yeah" Will replied. "And now Malcolm's been arrested. Who would have thought coming back from the dead caused these many problems?".

"Tell me about it" Abby replied, remembering her own experience. "But he saved your life by killing that lunatic. I bet this is all a misunderstanding and he'll walk free before noon".

"I hope you're right" he said, sitting on the chair.

Abby approached him. "But I wanna know about you. I know you've been through a traumatic experience. How are you holding up?"

Will shrugged. "Sometimes I do get nightmares. Like two nights ago. And, well, I guess that's it. No one abused me, but they weren't exactly nice to me. I didn't have any contact with any other people for four years. And well, I hear I have PTSD now. I guess it makes sense".

"Will you receive treatment?"

"You heard my grandma Marlena. She's gonna treat me".

"I heard her, but I'm asking if you  _will_ accept it".

Will sighed. "I will. I know you all are just looking out for me and I appreciate it. Besides" he glanced at Chad's bed. "He would kill me if I refused".

Abby chuckled. "He loves you, you know? You're his best friend, and he's got you back, so expect to be extremely protected. And I love you too, because you're like my favorite cousin".

Will smiled at her. "I love you guys too. And I'm so, so grateful for everything you've done for me in the short time I've been in Salem".

"Anytime, and you're more than welcome to stay with us at the Mansion for all the time you need" she smiled. "Now, tell me, you managed to have some peaceful sleep despite all the craziness that went down yesterday. Dreamt of anything nice?"

Will blushed and looked away. "Nothing".

"Oh, come on, Will, I know that face means you don't want to tell" Abby complained. "Come on, you know you can trust me, don't you?"

Will looked at her, embarrased. "I might have dreamt of your husband".

"Ok" she said, a little confused. However, her eyes widened when she realized what Will had to have been trying to hide. "Oh!"

"You have no idea how ashamed I am" he lamented. But big was his surprise when Abby burst out laughing. "What?"

"Oh my God, this is gold!" she exclaimed, not raising her voice too much, of course.

Will stared at her in confusion. "What? You're not mad or jealous or anything?"

"Of course not, silly!" she said, relaxing a bit. "I've known Chad is hot ever since I met him. I bet he's gonna love hearing about this. What was it about, huh? I want details".

Will looked at her in horror. "I'm not telling you anything of what I dreamt with your husband! And just so you know, I do not feel this way anymore, that dream was all Chad's fault for teasing me last night".

"Ah ha!" she said. "So you  _did_ feel something! I knew it. I knew there were times you used to stare at him for way too long"

Will looked away. "I'm not saying anything".

"You don't have to" said Abby, triumphantly. "Chad told me yesterday what Sami told him anyway".

"Dammit, Mom" Will groaned, as Abby laughed again.

* * *

Malcolm was sleeping on the small bed in his cell, quite calmly, until the sound of something hitting repeatedly the bars woke him up, not making him open his eyes, though. He was pretty sure whoever was doing it did that on purpouse.

"Up, Horton" the guard ordered.

Malcolm groaned, rolling on the bed. "Five more minutes, mom".

"Get the hell up and get ready" the guard barked. "You must be in the interrogation room in fifteen minutes".

"Geez, whatever" he said, getting up and rubbing his eyes, as the guard left.

Malcolm got himself ready for whatever they needed him at the interrogation room for, when Hope appeared.

"Hey, Malcolm".

"Hey" he replied, lacing his shoes. "Crazy night, huh?"

"I'd say" she replied. "Did you sleep well?"

Malcolm got closer to the bars. "I actually did. Sure, I could have done without that thing that's supposed to be a bed, but it wasn't too bad".

"I'm really sorry you were arrested" she said sincerely. "I honestly disagree with this. And we all know Deimos's death was not an extrajudicial execution".

"I don't blame your boss" said Malcolm, stretching. "I'm pretty sure he just wanted to arrest somebody".

Hope tilted her head.

"Why am I expected at the interrogation room?" he asked.

"Your attorney will meet you there".

"My attorney?"

"Justin Kiriakis" she replied. "A guard will come in five minutes".

She left as Malcolm frowned in confusion.  _"I did not ask for a lawyer"._

However, it didn't take long for him to figure it out.  _"Freaking Jackson"._

* * *

"Alright" said Lucas, entering the station and pulling the sleeves of his shirt, ready for a fight. He might have not been the best fist fighter, but he had spent enough time with Sami to learn a few tricks in verbal-lashing. "I wanna see the commissioner right now. We gotta exchange a few words".

"No, come on, man" said Rafe, getting up from his desk and stopping him. "The guy's not even here, calm down".

"Not here!" he exclaimed. "Where the hell is he? There hasn't been a good explanation about why my son was arrested and I want one right now!"

"There has, Lucas!" Rafe replied. "The commissioner had Malcolm arrested for the extrajudicial execution of Deimos Kiriakis".

"The guy was armed and had my eldest son at gunpoint, you were there, idiot!" Lucas snapped. "You damn inept bastards better free him now!"

"I know and I don't like this situation either, dammit!" Rafe said, trying to calm him down. "Man, you're not going to get anything causing a scene so calm the hell down".

"Lucas" they heard a surprised voice say.

They turned around to see Malcolm, escorted by a guard, on his way to the interrogation room.

"Hey, Malcolm" said Lucas, going to him.

"What are you doing here?" Malcolm asked.

"What, I'm here looking for answers" he replied, glaring at Rafe. "But how are you doing?"

"Ok, I guess" he shrugged. "Sure, I could do without the handcuffs, but what can we do?"

"Don't worry, we'll get you out of here today" he promised. "I've been contacting a few guys who could help you out".

"Oh, thanks, but it won't be necessary".

"No?"

Malcolm widened his eyes sarcastically. "Apparently, I've got an attorney out of nowhere".

Lucas frowned. "Who?"

Just in that moment, Justin appeared with his briefcase in hand. "Ah, Malcolm, I see we're ready to start".

Lucas turned to Malcolm, surprised. "I thought you weren't fond of the Kiriakises".

"This was so not my doing" he replied.

"Shall we?" Justn asked, pointing at the door of the room.

Malcolm grimaced, but followed him. "See you in a few, Lucas".

Once they were inside, Lucas scoffed. "This is crazy".

"He'll be ok" said Rafe. "I'm pretty sure he and Justin will figure something out"

* * *

Malcolm sat in the table inside the room, after the guard took off his handcuffs. He rubbed his wrists.

"Does it hurt?" Justin asked.

"Oh no, but everyone does this when they get the handcuffs off" he replied.

Justin sat with him. "Ok, now, the first thing we need to do is prove that Deimos's death wasn't an extrajudicial execution, but you shot him because he was holding your brother..."

"Please cut it" Malcolm interrupted. "Look, I don't know what kind of crap Jackson told you, but I'm ok. I appreciate the gesture, but I'm actually expecting one of my pals to get me out of here".

Justin stared at him. "What?"

"This isn't the first time this happens" he shrugged. "It's actually very common among us agents. One of us gets arrested for doing something out of normal during a mission, then one of us goes and orders his immediate release".

"Ok" said Justin, nodding slowly. He looked at him carefully. "But I can't help but feel something's off".

"Off?" Malcolm repeated.

Justin narrowed his eyes. "I've seen so many murder cases. I know the profiles of my clients. And you just don't have it".

Malcolm rolled his eyes.  _"I'm not even making an effort to cover my story"._

"You didn't do it" Justin resolved. "Someone else killed Deimos, but it wasn't you. You're just covering for that someone".

"Well big news, Sherlock" Malcolm spat. "I just figured it would be easier if I handled this. The real culprit would have been in too much trouble had he been caught. Besides, everyone hated Deimos".

Justin tilted his head. "Ok. Ok, I can understand you're taking the fall for killing Deimos to avoid more trouble than you need. Now look, everything that's said here will remain here. I will not say a word. Now tell me who was the real killer".

Malcolm shook his head. "Yeah, I don't think that's a good idea".

"Well I know it had to be someone you care about" Justin reasoned. "Was it Will?"

"No" said Malcolm. "I'm taking the fall for Will, but he's not the killer. Now, I believe we can't keep talking about this. Trust me, you don't wanna know".

"Why?" he asked, standing up. "Of course I do! Why wouldn't I want to know who killed Deimos?".

Malcolm looked at him. "Because your son did it".

* * *

As Will and Abby played with Thomas, they heard some movement in the bed. They turned around to see Chad waking up.

"Oh!" said Abby, standing up and taking Thomas with her to the bed.

"There's my baby boy!" Chad weakly exclaimed, as Abby put him on the bed. The baby crawled on his daddy's chest, and rested his head on Chad's shoulder.

"Oh, baby, careful with Daddy's wound!" said Abby.

"It's ok" said Chad, putting and holding Thomas in a better position, and caressing his little head. "Ah, so much better".

"Sleep well?" asked Will.

"Pretty good, actually" he replied, holding Thomas tighter. "And it just gotten better".

Thomas started struggling a bit in annoyance, and Chad chuckled, loosening his grip. "Sorry, baby. I just love you so, so much".

Abby faked a pout. "What about me? I gave you that sweet child".

"Ah, you know I do love you too" he said, accepting her kiss. He turned to Will and grinned. "And I don't want you to feel left out..."

"I know" Will chuckled. "I love you too and you know it".

"I do" he replied.

He kissed Thomas's head before looking at Will again. "So, now that hell's over, you got any plans?"

Will shrugged. "Not really. All I know is I'll be receiving treatment. Other than that I don't know".

"Malcolm told me you had a little breakdown after Deimos died" said Abigail. "Apparently he had made you believe he had killed Chad".

"That bastard" Chad cursed.

"He figured we should know since you're going to stay with us" Abby continued. "Like it or not, Will, we're gonna take care of you while you stay at the mansion".

Will shook his head. "I can't ask you that".

"We want to" she said. "Let us".

Will turned to Chad, who nodded. "You'll have your hands full helping him recover. At least let me help you with that".

"I know" Abby replied. "I do believe we can work this out. I thought about this last night and it's totally possible".

"Father and Andre would help, but Sami would kill us if we let them anywhere near you" said Chad. "Not that they are such a treat".

"You know how my mother is" Will said.

Chad scoffed. "Oh, I  _know_ ".

Will frowned. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Well" Chad said, uncomfortably. "Sami may have tried to kill me once".

Will chuckled. "What did you do? Interfere in her relationship with EJ?"

"Allegedly kill you".

Will's grin disappeared. He had honestly thought Chad was talking figuratively. "Oh".

"Not the best of memories" Chad continued. "We're both cool now. I'm her brother in law-honorary son again".

"Mom  _does_ love you as her own" Will acknowledged. "I just don't believe this. She actually tried to kill you?"

"I don't know why you haven't thought of that" Chad said. "I had been framed for the Necktie murders, and you were listed as a victim. It was actually expected from Sami to have that outburst".

Will shrugged. "Thank God she failed though".

"And what about Sonny?" Abby asked.

"What about him?" asked Will and Chad at the same time.

Abby rolled her eyes. "You were together until Deimos took you. Are you, by any chance, willing to pick where you left off?"

"I don't know" Will replied. "It's been a long time. Sonny has changed a lot. I don't know if I'll find the man I used to love in him now".

He turned to Chad, who wasn't looking at him. "I know you aren't Sonny's biggest fan anymore, but I could really use some support. Like last time".

Chad sighed, and looked at him. "I will support you. I just don't wanna see you get hurt again".

"Well, with how fiercely protective you are of the people you love there's no chance for that happening" said Abby, caressing Thomas's back, who had fallen asleep on Chad's chest. "Let me take him".

"No, no, I want to hold him. He's not that heavy anyway" Chad replied.

"What do you think I should do then?" Will asked.

"That's completely up to you" said Abby. "We'll be behind you a hundred percent".

Will turned to Chad. "You will?"

"You know I eventually will" he replied, glancing at the window. "You might as well think fast, though".

"Why?" Will asked, looking at the window too.

Behind the blinds, Sonny was staring.

* * *

"My son" said Justin, disbelievingly. "My son, Sonny, killed Deimos. There's no way that's true".

Malcolm raised an eyebrow. "You calling me a liar?"

"It's just not like him" he said. "Sonny can't harm a fly. And all of a sudden he kills a man?"

"The guy  _was_ holding Will  _and_  holding a gun against him" said Malcolm. "I'm telling you this because you are smart enough not to do something stupid like ratting us out. Besides, it's helpful to have someone from the law on our side".

Justin pinched the bridge of his nose. "I can't believe this".

"I  _was_ going to be the one who killed him" Malcolm continued. "But some guy knocked me out. And then, Jackson came and shot him from behind. I can't believe I'm saying this, but the bastard is a hero".

"If you hate him as much as you claim, why would you take the blame for him instead of letting him get arrested?"

Malcolm rolled his eyes.

"I'm Malcolm" he said, in a fake resigned voice. "Disgusting. I take the blame for people I don't like for shooting bad guys..."

"Cut the sarcasm!" Justin exclaimed. "Now tell me. Why did you let Sonny walk free?"

Malcolm glared at him. "My dear big brother would be heartbroken Jackson got in trouble for him. Apparently he'd feel very guilty. Besides, it's easier for me to handle this".

Some yelling and shouting was heard from outside. Malcolm was pretty sure he heard Lucas shouting as well.  _"About time"._

"Huh, wonder what's that all about" said Justin. "You took the blame for Sonny to help Will avoid stress".

"He has PTSD" he replied. "He does not need more stress added to that. And all that scandal you're hearing from outside? That's my freedom".

Justin frowned, as the yelling outside died down, and a guard opened the door. "Horton".

Malcolm glanced at Justin, and followed the guard outside.

Lucas was drinking some water, calming himself down after the shouting match, as Hope was pinching the bridge of her nose in dismay. Rafe was preparing some papers, and a man in a dark suit was standing there as if he owned the room.

"What's going on?" asked Justin.

"Perry" Malcolm greeted, shaking the man's hand. "Glad to see you here".

"Same, Horton" said Perry. "I was informed of some trouble you were having in here, so I came to help".

"Good timing as always" he replied with a nod. "So, did I miss anything good?"

"The commissioner is the biggest coward I've ever met" Perry replied. "I just ordered your immediate release. The bastard is hiding in his office".

"Well thanks" said Malcolm.

He turned to Lucas. "This is Rick Perry, a fellow agent. Perry, this is my father Lucas Horton".

They both shook hands.

"Well, my job here's done" said Perry. "The CIA has officially taken the credit for Deimos Kiriakis's death and the boss is waiting for a report from you for next week".

"Will do" he replied, as Perry walked out.

Rafe approached him with some papers. "Your release papers. All charges have been dropped and your history is clean".

Malcolm signed them. "Great".

"Lucas, you'll have to sign too" said Rafe. " As a witness".

"Yeah sure" he replied, taking a pen and signing too. "Alright, Malcolm, how about we...?"

He trailed off when he turned around, for Malcolm had disappeared.

* * *

After bickering a little with Chad, Will got out of the room. Sonny was outside, and didn't look any better than Will.

"Hey" he said.

Will crossed his arms, feeling a little insecure. "Hey".

"Did you get any rest?" Sonny asked.

"A little" he replied. "You?"

"Not too much".

"I figured".

They remained in silence for a moment.

"What are you doing here?" Will asked.

"I just wanted to check on you" Sonny replied. "And see... Where we were".

Will scoffed. "Just two days ago you were about to marry another man. Why would you want to jump into another relationship?"

"I don't want that" he said. "I know what happened is too screwed up. I know we have a lot to sort out first. I promise I won't push you into anything".

"Thanks" said Will. He sighed. "What turned you into this? Was it me when I left? Was it the cheating? Was it Paul? You were so put together when I was with you".

Sonny shook his head. "I should admit, I did sense something was off, but never gave it importance. I just thought you insecurities had disappeared overnight. "But when your double cheated on me, something inside of me snapped. I turned colder and meaner".

"Your life turned into a mess" Will said. "You have no idea how sorry I am for that".

"Don't" said Sonny. "The fault of our relationship's failure..."

"Was Deimos's when he took me..."

"...was also mine..."

"...and made you believe I had changed and later died!"

Sonny didn't say anything at first. But there was something else Will had to know. "I never had a true intention of working in my marriage because I felt the spark was gone. That should have had been a sign, I guess. For the real you, I would have fought hard. But that wasn't you and I didn't feel a reason to fight. And then I found myself running to Paul every time he and I fought. He cheated physically, but I did too, psychologically. I made him feel like garbage for hurting me, and never realised that I had turned into an abusive guy".

"That's what I'm afraid of" Will whispered. "I'm aware of everything that happened between my double and you. I don't need you treating me like that if I ever screw up".

"I can understand that".

"I haven't seen your true colours, but I know what they're like. I'm not the only one that needs help. You do too".

"I'll seek therapy, I promise" Sonny said.

But Will shook his head. "I don't want you to do it for me, Sonny. I want you to do it for yourself. Because there's a good chance there will be nothing between us ever again".

Sonny sighed. "I won't try to be in a relationship with you if you don't want to. I know it's not right anyway. It's true, I  _was_ about to marry other guy until you came".

"Let some time pass" said Will. "We both need to figure ourselves out before we do anything".

Sonny nodded. He approached and kissed his cheek. "Please take care".

Will nodded as Sonny left. The door of Chad's room opened, and Abby came out.

"Hey" she said. "Chad was about to get out of bed and come tell Sonny to get lost".

"Well we couldn't have that" Will said.

They chuckled.

"Are you ok?" she asked.

"I will be" he replied, accepting her hug.

* * *

Victor sat on the couch at his mansion, with a cup of tea on a hand and a newspaper on the other. He didn't look happy.

He took a sip of his tea before speaking and turning around. "You got away with murder again".

Malcolm walked behind him. "Deimos is dead. Will is safe, and Chad will be fine".

"I'm aware" Victor grunted, tossing the newspaper to him.

Malcolm took it.

_DEIMOS KIRIAKIS DEAD_

_The business man was killed in an operation led by the CIA._

"Huh" said Malcolm, after reading the whole article. "There's little information about Chad and Will's conditions".

"Perks of having family in the press" Victor said, still sitting on the couch, and not looking at him.

Malcolm, still behind him, nodded. "Right. And don't you think you're getting away with everything you've done".

"What, you're going all Power Ranger on me too?" Victor said sarcastically.

"You wish, grandpa" he replied. "You're too old for jail, or a vendetta from me. But one way or another, I'll make you pay".

"Oh, give me a break" he said, and turned around. "You're nothing against..."

He trailed off, and sighed in annoyance.

Malcolm was gone.


	31. Chapter 31

"Chad, stop staring at it, it's creepy!"

Abigail was complaining as Chad contemplated his bullet wound on his bare chest in the mirror. It had left a scar, close to the others the two previous times he had been shot there had left.

"Some collect rocks, others collect stamps" he said. "I collect bullet wounds on my chest".

"Well, hopefully you'll stick with three and that's it!" she said. "Now put a shirt on, we gotta sign your release papers".

"Why such a hurry? Are we expecting somebody?"

"Stefano and Andre are coming with a blinded car for us".

Abby turned to her husband, who was staring at her with a frown, and rolled her eyes. "Stefano insisted".

"Father's indeed sorry for what he said to me, it seems" he mused.

"No one should talk to you that way" she said, putting her arms around his neck. "No matter who they are".

"You're sexy when you're defensive" Chad smiled, putting his arms around her and kissing her.

Abigail held Chad tighter, making him wince.

"Ow".

"Sorry" she chuckled, letting go. "Now, seriously, put a shirt on and get moving".

"Oh come oooonnn" he said, trying to hold her again.

"Oh no" she said, getting away from Chad and picking up Thomas. "The car will be here any minute, and you can't get agitated, you got hit in the chest and suffered cardiac arrest!"

"I'm feeling ok now!" Chad insisted. "We can put Thomas to sleep and lock the door..."

"No, you almost died and I'm not having that" said Abby.

"It won't even take five minutes!" he pleaded.

Abby raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. "Like last time?"

Thomas sucked his thumb, and looked back and forth between his parents, amused by their interaction, even though he couldn't understand quite well what his Daddy wanted to do with his Mommy and why he wasn't included. Then again, he wasn't even sure he got the entire issue between them.

Chad raised his eyebrows, offended. "That's low".

Abby stared at him.

"I had had a long, hard day that time" he weakly attempted.

"If you wanna get some Abigail" she said, pointing at herself. "You're gonna have to get some rest first".

She secured Thomas, who still sucked his thumb, in her arms and left the room.

"I've been resting for the last two days!" Chad complained, putting his shirt on and following her.

* * *

Caroline Brady grinned widely when she saw Will enter the Pub, accompanied by Malcolm. She stood up and went to hug them both.

"Oh, my heroes!" she exclaimed.

"I barely shot a gun" Malcolm chuckled. "The real fighter is this guy".

Will had insisted on going to the Pub and see his great-grandmother. Even though the poor lady had been shocked when he came back, terrified when he had been kidnapped again, and relieved when he was rescued, she hadn't been able to see him as much as she wanted for her health was, unfortunately, declining.

Chad's first answer was no. Even though he couldn't do much from his hospital bed, he made sure Will knew there was no way he'd let him go around town alone, for he didn't trust the Kiriakises, and he feared Sonny would see him and mess with his head.

However, Will insisted so much Chad caved, only if he went with someone he trusted.

Malcolm was amused Will was even asking for Chad's permission, considering he could easily go with his parents or just go alone and tell Chad to go to hell, but he could understand the importance of Will's safety for them. Will could not be left alone in town until the tension that Deimos's death had left there died down. Who knew, Deimos could have had enemies, but he also had allies. Malcolm needed to make sure any threat against his brother was neutralized before being certain that everything was alright.

Until then, there they were.

"Please" said Caroline, inviting them to sit with her, which they did, and called a waiter. "Why don't you bring us some chowder?".

"Thanks, Grandma" said Will, as the waiter nodded to her and went to the kitchen.

"So, I understand you're having some company 24/7" she said.

Will chuckled. "I can't complain. It's like having my own bodyguard".

"You wish" Malcolm snorted.

"You're armed" he shot back.

Malcolm tilted his head to the side in agreement.

Caroline grinned as the waiter brought their food. They served themselves.

"Oh, I've been dying to have one of these since I got to Salem!" Malcolm exclaimed.

Will stared at him blankly. "You've been in Salem for like almost a year, what have you been doing all this time?"

"Investigating your case?" Malcolm spat.

As the two bickered, Caroline smiled. She couldn't help but feel some pride for herself. After all, she had been a part of the operation that led to her great-grandson's rescue from the castle.

 _"Once again I was right"_ she thought.  _"Only this time it wasn't too late"._

"You say that again!" Will exclaimed, making her get back to reality.

"Ok, knock it off" said Caroline. He sighed happily. "I can't believe you're arguing. Oh, you  _are_ brothers!"

"Like that DNA test wasn't enough to prove it" Malcolm mused.

"I just want to say" she said as she raised her cup of tea. "I'm so, so happy you're back, Will. And don't worry, you'll adjust perfectly fine to a routine here. Everything will go back to normal".

"Oh, it will" said Malcolm. "Someone's got his first therapy session with Marlena this morning".

"Oh, how was it?" she asked.

"It was alright" Will shrugged. "I mean, I know it's gonna take a while to totally adjust to a new beginning here, and getting used to have people around me again. Also, I need to move on from the fact that four years were taken from me and won't come back".

"That's good" she said. "You'll get past this, Dear. You're strong, I know you'll make it".

"Thanks" he smiled. He stood up. "I'll go to the bathroom. Be right back".

Malcolm's eyes followed Will until he was gone, then glanced at Caroline, and started eating again.

Caroline kept smiling at him. "I bet your father must be proud of you".

"I believe Lucas is actually grateful" Malcolm shrugged. "I gave him his eldest son back, yeah, but that was my job".

"Oh, Malcolm" she said. "You need to open your mind a little more about him".

"We've only been father and son for a couple months" he said. "So it's not like there's a lot of trust between us. There is trust, but I'm not sure I'm ready to... You know..."

"I understand" she said. "A year ago you weren't even here. But let me tell you one thing. Lucas does care about you. I would dare to say he loves you. But if you don't open up, you won't get close to him".

Malcolm nodded. "I'll make an effort. I think I can, I mean, Lucas does like me now".

Caroline chuckled, remembering Lucas's first opinions about Malcolm. "I know who else is proud of you".

"Oh really?" he said. "Who?"

"Your dear great-grandparents" she replied. "Tom and Alice".

"Oh".

Malcolm hadn't thought about his great-grandparents since the mission to rescue Will started. He actually felt grateful for their help, and for having been taken into consideration by them to save his brother. He did wish he could have met them.

"Right" he said. "You know, sometimes I wish I could see them again".

"You do?"

"Yeah. Tell them thanks for helping me saving Will, and for believing I was capable of such a thing".

Caroline nodded, and smiled again. "Oh, Dear. They know".

* * *

_Will approached Abigail, who was happily talking to some guy he hadn't seen before, after Gabi ran off. He wasn't sure what to think about what he was looking at. He thought she and Chad were going out, who was this guy she was talking to, and why would she say she was nuts about him?_

_"Where's Gabi going?" Abby asked._

_"To call her mom. She's in the hospital"._

_"Oh that's too bad" she said, and turned to the guy next to her. "Sonny, this is my cousin Will, the one I'm always talking about"._

_Sonny shook Will's hand, a little too eagerly. "Oh, hey, dude, how are you? It's nice to meet you after all these years"._

_"Yeah" said Will, letting go of Sonny and pointing at them. "So you two are..."_

_Abby stared at him before realizing what Will must have been thinking._

_"Related" she finally said and chuckled._

_"Oh"._

_"Sonny's my cousin too" she explained. "His parents are my uncle Justin and my aunt Adrienne"._

_Will turned to Sonny. "Wait, I thought your name was Jackson"._

_Sonny shrugged. "Well, it is, yeah. Well, there's just so many Jacks in my class and in my family, so people started calling me Sonny. My parents hate it though"._

_"Oh, I'm sor..." Will chuckled nervously and offered Sonny his hand again. "It's nice to meet you"._

_"Yeah, yeah" he replied, shaking his hand too. "What was that attitude about at first, huh?"_

_"Well, Will is very loyal here, and I'm dating his best friend" Abby intervened. "His name is Chad"._

_"Chad?" he said. "What kind of name is that?"_

_"I know, Sonny" Abby said, and the three laughed._

* * *

"Sonny".

Sonny, who was sitting on a bench all alone at the park, snapped out of his memory and looked up.

Paul was standing in front of him, with a bottle of water on a hand and a suitcase on he other.

"Paul" he said, standing up. He looked at his suitcase. "You're really leaving".

Paul nodded. "Yeah".

"I'm sorry" said Sonny. "I hope you know I never wanted this to happen".

"You did, Sonny" he said. "You should be over the moon. Not only is Will alive, but he actually never hurt you".

"And where does that leave you?"

"Don't worry about me. I know you love me. But you love Will more. Be happy, Sonny. You got the second chance you were longing for".

"Will doesn't even think there's a chance for us getting back together" Sonny lamented. "And I can't do that to you. I can't jump into a relationship when I was about to marry you a few days ago".

"I'm not asking you to do that" Paul replied.

"Will is disappointed in me" said Sonny. "I had lost my faith in him. I never saw the signs. And then I let myself turn into this cold, unsensitive jerk".

"You're not those things. I like to believe the anger that followed your grief is what changed your personality. But now that Will's back, maybe you'll change again. You could once more be that kind, nice person you used to be. The person Will and I fell in love with".

"I don't know what to do".

"Fight for Will. You fight hard. You can't lose this chance, Sonny".

Sonny shook his head, and hugged him. "I'm sorry".

"Don't be. I just want you to be happy" he replied, letting go after a few seconds.

"Thanks" said Sonny. "You're a great guy, Paul".

"I know" Paul sighed. "I hate that".

They chuckled.

"Will I ever see you again?" Sonny asked.

"Probably" he replied. "Maybe when that happens, we'll have our lives sorted out".

"Please take care" he pleaded, taking his hand.

Paul looked at Sonny, and let go of his hand. "I'll be ok".

They didn't say anything else. It wasn't necessary. Paul left.

Sonny sat on the bench again.

* * *

"Ah, he is just the perfect little child!" said Stefano as he played with Thomas in the limousine that drove the DiMeras to the Mansion.

"Tell us something we don't know" said Abby, grinning.

"I think those are things we'd rather not know" said Chad.

"Oh, we're just so happy you're ok" said Andre.

"And making a full recovery, I understand!" Stefano exclaimed.

"That's right" Chad said, putting his arm around Abby. "And don't worry, I promise not to get shot in the chest anymore"

"You better".

"I understand your hands are going to be full with taking care of Chad" said Andre, turning to Abby. "Are you going to hire a new babysitter for Thomas?"

Chad and Abby glanced at each other.

"Well" said Abby. "I'll have help. Will's still going to live with us so he can help with Thomas and also Ari can come".

Chad turned to Stefano with a serious face. "Is that going to be a problem?"

"Of course not!" he replied. "The boy has lived there before and he was great company, we'll be thrilled to have him with us for as long as he wants".

"Good".

Meanwhile, Thomas had fallen asleep on Stefano's lap, and Abby noticed when his pacifier fell from his mouth.

"Oh, Sweetie" she said, taking him as Stefano picked up the pacifier.

"That kid certainly sleeps quite a lot" Andre observed.

"What else is a baby his age supposed to do?" asked Chad.

Andre shrugged. "Vomit?"

Chad rolled his eyes.

"William has some problems of his own, though" said Stefano.

"We have taken everything into consideration" said Abby. "Will doesn't even have a week here in Salem, and he already has a life to rebuild, as well as his relationship with his daughter. Not to mention, Thomas already loves him".

"That kid needs some training on trusting strangers so easily" Andre commented.

"Andre" Chad warned.

"Oh, please" Stefano dismissed. "I'm pretty sure he just saw his parents interact easily with him".

"That's right" said Abby, as Thomas woke up and started wailing. Abby cleaned his pacifier and put it in his mouth. All of a sudden, the baby stopped and sucked his pacifier.

"Man, is he cute" Chad smiled.

"I know" she said, and turned to Stefano.

The old man nodded. "I asked Elvis if he could replace you as CEO of DiMera".

"And by the look on your face I tell he said no" said Chad.

Stefano rolled his eyes in annoyance. "Andre will replace you for two weeks, until you are healthy enough to lead the company again".

Chad glanced at Andre.

"Oh, do not worry about me, Brother, I know exactly how to do this" Andre grinned. "It's just a temporary replacement".

"I'll count on that" said Chad, as the limousine stopped.

"We're here" Stefano announced. "Is William expecting us inside?"

"No, he and Malcolm went to see his great-grandma" said Abby.

"Then I'll have the maid arrange his things for his stay" he said, getting out of the car when the driver opened it from outside.

* * *

When Will came back to the table, Caroline had gone to rest. Her age was too advanced, and she didn't have the energy she used to have before to be out for too long. Will understood, of course. He figured he could visit any other time.

He frowned however when "Dust in the wind" was heard through the speakers.

_I close my eyes_

_Only for a moment and the moment's gone._

_All my dreams_

_Pass before my eyes, a curiosity._

"What's with the Kansas music?" he asked.

"Your grandma felt like putting on some music" Malcolm replied, as he hummed along the song. "She put on this radio station with mellow songs before going upstairs. It's kinda nice, actually".

Will sat with him again. They continued eating in silence for a while. "So, how have you been?"

Malcolm stared at him before chuckling. "What?"

"It's just I don't know you that well" Will explained. "Come on, we're brothers, we're supposed to know everything about each other and you sure know my story".

Malcolm tilted his head. "That is true, I do know your story".

Will nodded. "So? Come on, I'm sure Dad will love that we bond".

"That's also true" Malcolm said. "Ok. Besides what I told you about me in the DiMera jet there are a few things I might have not told you, be it because I didn't want to or because I forgot".

"If you think it's too soon..."

"No, no. You're right, we should do this. Not like I have anything to hide. You're family".

Will smiled.

"Besides, Lucas will tell you everything if I don't anyway".

Will's smile turned into a glare. "You're so nice".

Malcolm shrugged. "Hi, my name is Malcolm and I make jokes when I'm uncomfortable".

Will laughed. "Well, that's some way to break the ice".

* * *

Paul arrived to the square, where John and Tori were waiting for him.

"Hey, kid" said John. "How are you doing?"

"I'm ok" he said. "I got to see Sonny. We, um, said goodbye to each other".

Tori approached and hugged him. "You're making the right decision, son".

"I know" he said. "Despite everything, I'm gonna miss this place".

"Of course" said Tori. "So are you ready to go?"

"Yeah" he replied, nodding.

"The truck with your stuff left a while ago" said John. "The rest is in the car".

"Thanks".

John pulled him into a hug too. "Oh, I'm gonna miss you so much".

"Me too" he said. "I promise, I'll call and text oftenly".

"I know you will".

They separated.

"Dear" said Tori. "It is time".

Paul glanced at John. "So, this is it".

"Take good care of yourself" said John.

Paul nodded, and got in the car with Tori.

John fought back tears as he waved at the car when it left.

* * *

"Does it hurt?" Abigail asked as she cleaned Chad's wound and changed the bandages again.

"Not too much since you're the one who's doing it" he smiled.

"Really?" she grinned. "You're not just saying it to get me into bed?"

"I would never..." he started, before rolling his eyes. "Oh, why bother?"

Abby glared at him. "You're so lucky you're pretty".

"I know" he said with pride.

Abby chuckled. "Still not happening".

Chad pouted. "Fine. But I shall remind you I only have two weeks free of any responsibility. We should make the most of them".

"I'm sure there'll be another chance".

Chad groaned and went to his room. "Fine, I give up!"

Abby rolled her eyes.

* * *

"Well, talk about awkward" said Will after an hour of talking. "I'm sorry about your mom, though".

Malcolm shrugged. "Thanks. So, there you go. I'm a free spirit and a matricide. Happy?"

"No, I'm not happy" he replied. "I  _am_ glad we talked and got to know each other better, but I'm also sorry we weren't there for you".

"None of you knew of my existence. It's no big deal".

"But it is! Just imagine if Dad had acknowledged you".

"Oh, he did... Last year, but he did. Who didn't tell him about me was my mother".

Will huffed.

"Look" said Malcolm. "When I came to Salem, I was actually on vacation. I had read about this place online and thought it'd be a good idea to come visit. When I read of the war between the Kiriakises and the DiMeras, I was assigned the mission to investigate and prevent a catastrophe. I found out Lucas was my father way before they did. And I actually wasn't planning on telling until I was ready".

"You had to meet Gabi" he groaned, for he did know how Malcolm's paternity had been revealed.

"You wanna know who was the first person I met in town?" he asked.

Will looked at him.

"It was Ari".

Will kept staring at him for a moment. "What?"

"Yeah, I mean, she had gotten lost, and was wandering around the park. She immediatly trusted me for some reason, even though she knew she's not supposed to talk to strangers" he explained. "Apparently Gabi had gotten caught up with something and didn't notice..."

He trailed off when he saw Will had a big frown on his face.

"Anyway, I found her, brought her to the station, everything got solved" he countinued. "And there I met everyone else. Including Jackson".

"Why am I hearing about this now?" Will asked, annoyed.

Malcolm raised an eyebrow. "Because it happened a year ago and I got better things to remember?"

Will rolled his eyes. "I'm so talking to Gabi about this. Now, I'd like to know, why didn't you say anything when you found out my dad was your dad?"

"I suspected at first because I saw our resemblance" he replied. " I found a picture of him when he was younger, and kinda figured it out. But I didn't say anything because the guy wasn't fond of me".

"How come? You're a great guy!"

"You know" Malcolm said. "You and I are very much alike".

"Right" Will said. "But still, that's no reason to hate you".

"It's not like he hated me" he replied. "He was still grieving your loss. I guess seeing me, seeing you in me, wasn't pleasant at all".

"Sonny must have felt the same".

"Oh no, Jackson does hate me".

"But why?" said Will.

Malcolm shrugged. "Well, for starters, our resemblance. He might have hired some dude to follow me around town. And... I might have had him kidnapped".

Will's eyes were wide open. "What?"

"He wasn't hurt!" Malcolm rushed. "Ok, maybe he was knocked out unconscious with a gun butt but that was my henchman's fault".

"You have henchmen!?"

"Shut up!" Malcolm hissed. Luckily, no one had paid attention to them. "I used to have henchmen. After that little stunt I pulled, I got reprimanded, ok?"

"I can't believe this" said Will. "At least that explains all the bad blood between you two".

"Sami did like me though" his brother said. "She and Chad became good friends of mine, let me tell you".

Will rested his chin on his hand. "Where did you meet them?".

Malcolm grimaced. "At your grave".

Will slowly sat straighter. "Right, the grave I destroyed".

"I was there, looking around, you know? And I just found it. It happened to be on the same day Sami came back to town. I met her, Lucas and Chad".

"I understand my parents being there" said Will. "I wasn't expecting Chad to be there".

"Chad had been visiting the grave very, very oftenly since his drama slowed down" Malcolm revealed. "He felt guilty for not being with you, well, who he thought was you, when he came back. Not that it matters now, he doesn't feel that way anymore now that he knows the real you is alive and well".

"Aw, how nice of him" Will smiled. "I know we kind of got stranged from each other but it wasn't that way when he first left Salem. We would chat, call, write, a lot actually. I would ask about his health and he would ask about Arianna. It was like, yeah, thanks Chad, for keeping tabs on my daughter and not asking a single thing about me".

Malcolm chuckled. "I guess it stopped when you were kidnapped".

"Sort of" he said. "The last messages I sent him were for Christmas and New Year. He never replied the last one. Or maybe he did, but my double never answered, I guess".

"I'm sure you'll find out later" said Malcolm, as another song was heard through the speakers.

It was soft, and while Will eated a scone (which he had ordered while Malcolm told him his story), he suddenly found himself thinking.

_One day in your life_

_You'll remember a place_

_Someone touching your face_

_You'll come back and you'll look around, you'll..._

Will remembered. The pier. Walking in on Abby with that guy he thought she was cheating on Chad with.

He  _had_ felt something, to be honest. But he was so into his other problems he never paid attention to his feelings.

He remembered the next year, when he and Sonny had shared their first kiss, just right outside.

_One day in your life_

_You'll remember the love you found here_

He remembered when he found out Sonny loved him. Their breakup and reunion after that. Everything that happened later. The birth of Ari, the problems with Sami, Gabi and Kate, Christmas Eve, New Year's Eve, his abduction, everything came to his mind, and bombarded his thoughts. Sonny moving on...

_You'll remember me somehow_

_Though you don't need me now_

_I will stay in your heart_

_And when things fall apart_

_You'll remember one day..._

"Will" said Malcolm. "You ok?"

Will turned to him, barely listening. He couldn't help thinking about Sonny. And he was pretty sure he knew why. He hadn't gotten closure to that relationship. They had been interrupted. But he didn't want to get closure. Not then, nor ever.

"I'm ok" he mumbled.

"We could leave" he suggested. "It's pretty obvious that song's affecting you. Let's go".

Will wasn't sure what he wanted yet. He did know he was willing to find out what was in store for him. If there was any chance he could find happiness where he had been, or somewhere else.

"No" he said, as he looked up.

Malcolm turned around on his chair.

Sonny had just entered the Pub.

_For a love we used to share_

_Just call my name_

_And I'll be there._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Songs featured are "Dust in the wind" by Kansas and "One day in your life" by Michael Jackson.


	32. Chapter 32

The song ended just as Will and Sonny's glances met. All of a sudden Sonny just wanted to go to that table and kiss Will again. But he couldn't, it wasn't the right time.

In the meantime, Malcolm rolled his eyes. "You've got to be kidding".

"Hey" Sonny said when he finally approached them.

"Hey" Will repeated. "You don't look too well"

Sonny shrugged weakly as he sat, to Malcolm's dismay. "Paul left town".

"That's too bad" Malcolm said. "He may have had a very complicated history with you guys but I kinda liked him".

"I'm sorry" said Will.

"Don't be" said Sonny. "It was my fault. I had promised a life of security and the minute I saw you were alive I was torn between two lovers again".

"Bet you must have been feeling like a fool, huh?" said Malcolm, and chuckled. "Got that? Like Mary MacGregor's song".

Will and Sonny stared at him with blank faces.

"I'll show myself out" Malcolm added, getting up and leaving them alone.

 _"I thought I wasn't allowed to be alone anywhere but the Mansion"_ Will thought, rolling his eyes.

"How are you?" Sonny asked.

"I'm ok" he replied. "Calmer".

Sonny nodded. "Good".

"For what is worth, I  _am_ sorry it didn't work out with Paul".

"Thanks. But you didn't do anything. You had no influence in what happened".

"Oh, I know that" said Will. "What, did you think I was apologizing?"

Sonny looked at him. Will was right. He couldn't do this again. "Of course not. I didn't mean to make you think that".

Will nodded. "I'm not a pushover, Sonny. That's a warning. I want us to be friends again, but I also want us to be on the same page in everything. I'm not superior and neither are you".

"You don't have to do this. Not with me".

"I'm sorry, but I won't take that risk. You treated my double like dirt thinking he was me, and I'm not accepting that in the future".

"He cheat...!" Sonny closed his eyes and breathed slowly. His own therapist had advised him to do so in order to not lash out. "Ok. I'll get better, I promise".

Will rubbed his eyes, already sleepy.  _"Damn meds"._

"Deimos really screwed you up, huh?" Sonny said.

Will let out a chuckle. "Yeah, you could say that. My grandma and I started therapy this morning. She changed her mind about me taking no pills, and gave me sleeping pills".

"Are you having trouble sleeping?" he asked.

"Just nightmares" he replied. "Ever since Deimos kidnapped me again, they increased. I made the mistake of taking one too early though".

Sonny chuckled as Will yawned. "You've always been kind of a dork".

"Hey" Will protested weakly.

"Come on" said Sonny, standing up. "I'll take you home".

"Yeah, no" said someone behind him.

Sonny turned around, and saw Malcolm again, who had a small smirk on his face. "No way in hell I'm letting that happen".

* * *

Abigail walked into Chad's office, only to find him sitting in front of his computer. She groaned in dismay. "Are you kidding me right now?"

Chad turned to her. "What?"

"How can you be working? You should be resting!" she scolded. "You can't go through any stress until you're one hundred percent ready"

"But I'm bored!" Chad whined. "And you don't want to do what I want to do!"

"Oh, what are you, a child?" she sniped. "Stop being such a baby and do something else, less exhausting instead of all that corporate crap".

She thought for a few seconds. "You could help me clean the main room".

Chad raised an eyebrow. "Don't we have a maid to do that? Or Harold?"

"It's Harold's day off. Now come on, you gotta do stuff on your own".

"I'm not putting on an apron to clean".

"Ugh, you can't just sit on your ass all day and expect everyone around you do the work in the house!" Abby exclaimed. Coming up with an idea, she smirked. "Oh my God. You're turning just like your father".

Chad stood up, giving his wife a dangerous glare. "You take that back".

Completely unimpressed, Abby shrugged, as she turned around and got out of the room. "You know where I'll be to prove me wrong".

Chad sat again, shaking his head. He put his hand on the keyboard, put it away from the keyboard, rolled his eyes, stood up, and followed Abigail downstairs.

* * *

"I thought you had left" said Sonny, a little annoyed.

"I did" Malcolm replied. "To the bathroom. Will can't be left alone for security reasons, but I got physiological needs like every human being".

"He wasn't alone, he was with me".

Malcolm scoffed. "Yeah, right. Like I was gona leave him with you".

"Don't I get a say in this?" asked Will.

"You do" his brother replied. "Whether I listen to you or not is my issue, though".

Will rolled his eyes.

"Look, I get you have to be protective of your brother, but I mean no harm to him" said Sonny.

"I'll take care of it" said Will, standing up and taking Malcolm's arm and dragging him away from the table so Sonny wouldn't listen.

Once they were out of earshot, Malcolm jerked his arm out of Will's grasp. "What?"

"Do you have to be so rude with Sonny?" Will hissed.

"Hey, you know our story" Malcolm replied, lifting a finger. "And you know how he treated your doppelganger thinking he was you! I'm not putting up with him making you feel miserable like that poor bastard".

Will sighed in annoyance. "I appreciate you looking out for me, but I'm serious, Sonny won't hurt me. Can't you just give him the benefit of the doubt?"

Malcolm raised an eyebrow. "Give me one good reason why I should do that".

"You know why".

Malcolm rolled his eyes. "I get you never got closure with your relationship with Jackson, but come on, it's been four years, the guy moved on! And honestly, you should too. You know better than anyone that you two aren't the same people you were by the time you were kidnapped".

Will sighed. "If I gave him a chance, would you support it?"

Malcolm tapped the floor with his foot for a moment. "Fine, I'll try to be less hostile towards him. But he's obviously messing with your head right now, so we're gonna go".

"But I don't want to..." He let out a big yawn. "Go".

Malcolm stared at him, unimpressed. "You sure?"

Will yawned again. "Shut up".

"You  _had_ to take the pill this early".

"I honestly thought it was meant to be taken immediately!"

"Whatever you say, big guy" Malcolm said, rolling his eyes. He grabbed Will's arm and glanced at Sonny. "Always a pleasure, Jackson".

Sonny frowned, but rolled his eyes when he saw Malcolm dragging Will out of the Pub. Will barely managed to wave at him before yawning again.

* * *

"Dammit, kids".

Sami cursed as she picked up the pieces of a broken vase her children were probably responsible of, for they had been playing in her living room just an hour or two prior.

"Someone's gonna get grounded and no one's gonna stop me!"

"And if I told you I broke it?" asked EJ, walking in the living room.

"Then I'll tell you you're the best father ever and then make you sleep on the couch for ganging up with them" she replied.

EJ chuckled, as he called the kids. "Kids, you're in trouble!"

As some bickering was heard from the other room, EJ joined Sami. "Some things never change".

"Whatever, I'm just glad everything's back to normal" said Sami, throwing away the broken porcelain. "My son's back home, Deimos is dead. Life's good again".

"Except, there are a few mysteries yet to be solved" EJ said, sitting on the couch. "For starters, why Deimos took William, what was his purpouse, and if nothing was really done to him".

"We know why Deimos took Will. To hurt Victor by hurting Sonny".

"But four years, Samantha?"

"Malcolm said Deimos claimed he forgot about Will when he made a life in Salem".

EJ raised an eyebrow. "Isn't that a little odd? I personally find it hard to believe. I think something did happen to William, but he isn't aware".

"That's impossible" said Sami. "Will claims he never had any contact with any other human being, or living being for that matter, during all the time of his captivity. Why, why would he lie about it?"

"I never said that" said EJ. "I don't doubt for a second that William is telling the truth".

"EJ, you just lost me".

"I'm saying something could have been done to William, but William isn't aware".

Sami frowned. "What, you think Deimos had something put on his food or water like some drug?"

EJ shrugged. "It wouldn't be the first time it happens".

Sami scoffed. "That's crazy".

"Is it, Samantha?" EJ asked. "Didn't something like this happen to John Black years ago? Didn't something like this happen to Hope Brady? Didn't something like this happen to your father?"

"That's different" Sami defended. "Stefano was behind those things, and they had gone through surgeries and had been brainwashed. My son was left in solitary confinement for no purpose at all".

"Then Deimos could have easily killed William, replaced him and we would all think he was still dead".

Sami gasped. "Dammit, EJ, you're making me doubt now!".

"I share this with you because you are William's mother, and you must know there are a few things that just don't make sense" said EJ. "I actually believe there  _was_ another reason why William was kidnapped".

* * *

Chad had caved, and he and Abigail were tidying the main room of the Mansion. Except, Abby didn't want Chad to ruin his fine shirt (they all were). So, Chad offered to take it off, but Abby refused, for Chad's scars were still healing and their appearance weren't too pleasant for her. So, there was only one solution.

"I think you like to humiliate me on purpose" Chad grunted, as he wiped a crystal figure.

"It looks great on you!" Abby exclaimed.

That's right. Abby had made Chad use an apron. And there was only one left.

A pink apron with different pictures of flowers and butterflies had been placed on Chad's torso as he helped cleaning, glaring at his wife from time to time.

"I don't like it" Chad declared.

Abby put her hand on her hip. "You're still using it"

Chad rolled his eyes.

"This is ridiculous" he said, as he opened the doors of the main room, just as Malcolm, who was holding a half-asleep Will, entered and caught sight of him.

"Hey, Will took a pill way too ear-ha, ha, ha, ha,ha" he mocked as he saw the pink apron Chad wore.

"Yeah, yeah, very funny, I'm wearing my wife's apron" Chad deadpanned, as he took it off.

"Let me guess" said Malcolm, addressing Abby. "You did this to him".

"He needed something that wouldn't stress him" she defended. "Unlike what I caught him doing".

Malcolm raised an eyebrow.

"Work!" Abby said.

"Oh, I know" he replied, in an innocent voice.

"Hey" Will barely said, yawning again.

"I'll take you upstairs" said Abby, grabbing his arm. "Gotta make sure you don't pass out in the hallway".

"I can go on my own" Will protested weakly, but let Abigail take him to his room anyway.

Once they were gone, Malcolm approached Chad, who put Abby's apron on the couch.

"So, working, huh?" he said. "Also known as a code word for 'getting unnecessary stress'. What, you planning on getting another heart attack? Maybe a little competition with Stefano to see who goes more often into cardiac arrest before Christmas?"

"Shut up" said Chad. "I wasn't working".

"Oh" he said. "So, you, uh..."

Chad grimaced. "No! I haven't done that since I got married".

"I did  _not_ need to know that" said Malcolm. "So if you weren't working, what were you doing?"

"Doing a little research".

"Research? Of what?"

Chad looked at him. "PTSD".

Malcolm frowned. "Why?"

"Well, for two reasons actually" Chad admitted. "First of all, since Will lives here now, we need to know how to deal with his condition until he gets better".

"Ok. And?"

"And, well, It seemed a bit odd to me the way Will has been acting".

"What are you talking about?"

Chad went to see if Abigail wasn't coming downstairs, and closed the doors of the main room.

"You don't want Abigail to know this?"

"It would freak her out a little. That's pretty much why I let her believe I was working" Chad replied. "You see, Marlena diagnosed Will with PTSD, and while looking up the symptoms and that stuff online, I realized Will is acting way too normal for a traumatized person".

"So?" Malcolm shrugged. "He still has the nightmares. People have different ways to cope with a disease, anyway".

"That's what I thought too" said Chad. "His first night as a free man he got so upset while sleeping I had to hold him until he stopped crying".

"See? That's what a normal shrink calls a stress disorder!"

"That's not what has me wondering!"

"Then what is it?" Malcolm asked, a little annoyed.

"Will is not acting like a normal PTSD patient" Chad revealed.

Malcolm stared at him. "What?"

"I mean, yeah, there are changes, but Will isn't exactly showing signs of being traumatized. He doesn't lash out, he isn't afraid of interacting with people, even though he didn't talk to  _anyone_ all this time, he opens up quite easily, he is still as trusting with people as he used to be before what he went through".

"So what? He wasn't abused in any way, and he was carefully examined when we came back".

"Dammit Malcolm!" Chad exclaimed.

Malcolm scoffed. "So you're saying Will is lying about his condition?"

"My friend sucks at lying and that's a fact" he said. "I believe something was done to him without his knowledge".

"That would be the strangest thing" said Malcolm. "Why would Deimos do anything to Will?"

"For the same reason he kidnapped him in the first place, maybe?"

Malcolm thought about it. Will was acting pretty normally even though he had just been at risk of dying twice. "I'll take a look into it. You see if there's anything else we should worry about".

* * *

"Great" said Sami, pacing around the room. "Just great, just what we needed. More trouble. Can't Deimos be dead and long gone history already?"

"No" said EJ. "Because that would be too easy and simple and you know that never works for us".

Sami groaned. "Life sucks".

"I think we should start easily" said EJ. "For starters, this is just an assumption I'm making. William could be coping with his condition in a way that's rare for a psychiatrist or people in general".

"Don't make this harder to process than it already is" she warned. "I'm not dealing with that. Now, I'm gonna go check on my son and see if there's actually something off".

EJ got up from the sofa. "I might as well go with you".

Sami rolled her eyes as she took out her phone and texted the sitter.

"Kids, we're going out, Cindy will be here in a few!" she called.

EJ went with her to the door, and opened it for her.

Only, instead of getting out, Sami stopped dead on her tracks.

Stefano was outside, accompanied by two men dressed in black.

"Samantha. Elvis" he greeted with a grin. "Going somewhere?"

* * *

John entered the townhouse, where Marlena waited for him.

His wife caught sight of him, and went to give him a big hug, which John reciprocated.

"He's gone, Doc" he lamented.

"I know" she replied, rubbing his back. "But it was his decision. And it's probably for the best. He won't get hurt in San Francisco".

John nodded. "I miss him already".

"Oh, I know, I know" Marlena consoled.

John pulled away with a sigh. "But at least he'll call. And I'm sure he'll be much happier there. Ah, I just wish things hadn't been so complicated".

"Me too" she replied. "But he's ok now and that's all that matters".

"Yeah, it is" he said. "He'll call when his plane lands".

"What do you want to do in the meantime?" she asked.

"I think I just want to lay down for a bit" John replied. "It's been a long day".

Marlena nodded, as John went to their bedroom. She sighed, feeling for her husband.

* * *

"Stefano" said Sami, a bit surprised. "What do we owe the... Pleasure, I guess?"

Stefano chuckled, and turned to his men.

"Stay right outside" he ordered, and let himself in. "Ah, I just thought I would pass by, and visit my dear grandchildren".

"Father, you don't  _do_  visits" said EJ, disbelievingly. "Everytime you expect to see anybody, you always demend they see  _you_ at the Mansion".

"Oh, Elvis" said Stefano. "Once again you prove how little you know me".

"Maybe he's just being cautious" said Sami, sending a quick text to the sitter to cancel. "This is not like you. You're up to something".

"I feel insulted" Stefano said in a stern voice. "I have never showed any intention..."

"I have a list if you don't mind" said EJ. "And it's quite large, let me tell you".

Stefano raised his finger to argue, but gave up. "Oh, why bother?"

"So you  _are_  up to something" said Sami. "This is great, I wanna hear all about it".

Stefano rolled his eyes. "Samantha, whatever I have in mind, I would never tell you!"

"Of course you wouldn't, because then I'd go straight to the police and nail your ass in jail".

Stefano chuckled. "Oh, dear Samantha. Have you not learned anything?"

"Father, why are you here?" asked EJ, annoyed.

"I already told you, I am here to see my grandchildren" he insisted.

Sami narrowed her eyes, and didn't take her eyes off him while she went to the other room. "Kids? Your grandfather is here".

"Nonno!" the three children screamed as they came out of the playroom and ran to Stefano. Even though Allie wasn't Stefano's granddaughter, he considered her as one, just like he considered Will part of his family.

 _"Damn be the day when all my children became DiMeras, biological or honorary"_ Sami thought angrily, and glanced at EJ.  _"I guess it's my fault for falling for one"._

"Ah, my dears!" Stefano exclaimed, receiving them with open arms.

As he was distracted with them, Sami took EJ aside.

"I don't like this" she hissed. "I've seen that look on his face too many times. I  _know_ that look. The guy's up to something, I know it".

"I know, I think so too" said EJ. "If he's starting to get back to his old ways, then we must be very careful, and make sure our children aren't anywhere near his influence".

"Old habits die hard" said Sami. "I swear if he tries anything..."

"Try what, sweetheart?" asked Stefano, who had stood up and quietly approached Sami from behind. Sami winced and turned to him, pissed.

Stefano chuckled again.

"Oh my, do  _not_ do that again!" she exclaimed.

Her children, however, seemed to find the situation pretty funny, for they laughed at her.

She turned to EJ with a dangerous glare on her face.

EJ, getting the message, cleared his throat.

"Father" he said. "While we appreciate your 'gesture', we'd be more comfortable visiting you. You should rest at home".

"And I will" he replied. "But now that I'm here, I'll spend time with my grandchildren".

"We want Nonno to stay" said Johnny.

"Yeah, we want Nonno!" exclaimed Sydney.

Stefano turned to EJ and Sami with a grin. "I miei nipoti hanno parlato".

* * *

Several hours later, Chad was sitting on the couch, reading the paper, while Thomas played with his stuffed animals in his playpen. Abigail had gone out with Gabi and Arianna, who was going to come back to see her dad again.

As Chad turned the page of the newspaper, Will entered the main room slowly, yawning. "Hey".

"Hi" said his friend, closing the paper and standing up. "Had a nice sleep?"

"Man, that thing was powerful" Will chuckled, referring to the sleeping pill he had taken earlier. "But, yeah, I didn't dream of anything. I feel better".

"Nice" Chad replied. "Do you want to eat anything? There's some food in the kitchen, I could make some sandwiches".

Will raised an eyebrow.

Chad rolled his eyes. "I'll have them made".

Will chuckled. "That'd be nice".

Chad stood up and went to the kitchen. Will sat on the floor, next to Thomas's playpen, and watched him play.

"Hey, little man" he said. "I heard you're good friends with my Ari. That's really, really great. How amazing would it be if you guys end up being friends like your mommy is friends with Gabi and your daddy is friends with me!"

"I'd love that too" said Chad, walking back into the room, and sitting with him on the floor. "Except I already do because they have become good playmates and friends".

"I heard" he said. "I just meant, Abigail and Gabi are best friends, and you are my best friend. It'd be cute if they are too".

"They will" said Chad. "Because Thomas is going to Ari's school next year, and you two will come over on weekends, and we'll hang out. Oh, you'll babysit them when I'm out of town and I'll babysit them when you're out of town!"

"You realize they have mothers, right?"

"Oh, please, I'm taking Abby wherever I go, and, well, let's hope Gabi goes out at the same time as you go out".

Will laughed. "I think that's manageable, yeah".

"And you can visit anytime, and then..."

Will raised an eyebrow. "Already throwing me out?"

Chad chuckled. "I would never, you know that".

"Yeah, I do".

* * *

"So Will seems to be doing fine" said Gabi as she pushed Ari's stroller. She and Abigail had gone shopping, and were on their way back to the DiMera Mansion.

"He is" Abby replied. "He's getting so much better. He started therapy, you know?"

"Yes, I heard!" she said. "That's why Ari is going to give him a surprise visit to help him recover. What's better than the love of your child?"

"Oh, nothing, that's for sure" Abby grinned. "He must be awake by now".

"Just how strong are those pills Marlena gave him?"

"Very. I literally tucked him in bed and he was out like a light".

Gabi chuckled. "A little bit more and you would have given him a goodnight kiss on his forehead, huh?"

Abby remained silent.

"Oh my God" Gabi gasped, and laughed. "You did?"

"Ugh, fine! I did" Abby admitted. "He's my dear cousin, and even though there have been times we've screwed each other over I still care about him a lot. I don't know, I think I had a moment".

"Aw, you gave him some of your maternal love" Gabi cooed.

"Oh, shut up" she said. "Chad's worse. He's like his big, overprotective brother".

"Hasn't he always been like that?"

Abby frowned. "I don't know. Maybe he's like that because he wasn't there when Will needed him before his 'death'. Perhaps he's making up for it?"

"That worry you?"

"Are you kidding? You should see them. It's the cutest thing I've ever seen".

"Wow" said Gabi. "Not too many women would say that about their husbands".

"That's because I'm a reasonable person who happens to be also very loving" Abby said proudly.

"Your husband has a boyfriend..." Gabi sang mockingly, pushing Ari's stroller.

Abigail laughed. "Gabi!"

"What?" said someone behind them.

The girls turned around to see Sonny standing there.

"Oh, hi Sonny!" said Gabi.

"Hey" he greeted. "Hey, Ari".

Ari had fallen asleep on her stroller.

"Oh, she must have gotten tired" said Abby, and lifted all her shopping bags. "You know, busy day!"

"I see you  _have_ been busy" Sonny observed. "Why don't you let me take her so you can finish with that?"

"Oh, we're actually taking her to see Will" said Gabi.

"Oh" he said. "Well, that's ok. She should see her dad everyday if possible".

"Oh, she does" said Abby. "She loves spending time with him and playing with Thomas".

"That's really great" said Sonny. "Um, what was Gabi saying about Chad having a... Boyfriend?"

"Oh" Abigail chuckled. "Gabi was just teasing. It's just about how close Chad and Will are again. I personally find it amazing. Chad's very protective of him, just like he is of his family. And they have always considered each other family".

Sonny nodded, slightly aghast. "I see... Um, that's, that's good to hear... That he has someone who has his back".

"I know, right?" said Gabi. "Anyway, we should get going".

"Yeah" Abby said. "See you around Sonny".

"Bye" he replied as they left. He sat on a bench.

* * *

At the Kiriakis Mansion, Victor entered a room. Some workers were there, geting rid of Deimos's things, and he was there to supervise no one would keep anything, but everything would be destroyed.

"It's almost done, sir" said one of them.

"Good" he replied. "Make sure nothing's left".

The worker nodded and went back with his mates.

Victor walked around the room, watching how everything was put on bags and boxes.

He opened a nightstand, and on top of some papers that looked somewhat important was a strange, little device.

Victor frowned, and picked it up. It was some sort of a remote control. It was square shaped, with a big, red round button on it and had a small antenna.

"Hm" he murmured. "Now what would this thing do?"

He pressed the button. Nothing happened.

"Huh" he said. "How disappointing".

He tossed the control to the floor and smashed it with his foot.

"Useless thing" he mumbled, getting out of the room.

* * *

"So, you're really feeling ok?" asked Chad.

"Yeah" Will replied. "I actually feel good, relaxed. Maybe it's the fact that I just slept tight".

Chad nodded as he stood up. "I see".

Will stayed on the floor, contemplating at Thomas, as Chad was standing, pouring himself a drink, showing his back to him.

"Do you think it's strange that I feel like this?" Will asked. "You know, for a PTSD patient".

Chad shook his head, choosing not to share his worries for the moment. "No, not at all. I think you're alright. You're definitely rested, relaxed. I honestly think you're dealing with this very good".

Will nodded, a little fast, and started blinking a lot.  _"What the hell's happening to me?"_

He started shaking a little, a blinked faster. He closed his eyes and opened them. His pupils dilated a bit.

"Sure, you sleep a lot, but what mental patient doesn't?" Chad kept ranting.

Will stood up like a robot. He looked at Thomas.

 _"The heir"_ he thought.

He looked at Chad, who was still showing his back and talking.  _"DiMera"._

"Believe me when I say there's absolutely nothing wrong with you" Chad said, and turned around. "I just..."

Suddenly, Chad's eyes widened, and he barely managed to duck when Will attempted to hit him.


	33. Chapter 33

Chad's eyes widened, and he barely managed to duck when Will attempted to hit him.

"Will, what the hell?!" he shouted, ducking again when Will tried to hit him once more. "Hey, it's not funny, hey!"

Chad tried to step away from Will, tripping with the carpet and falling on his ass. Will threw himself at him, roaring, and Chad rolled to a side, making Will fall to the floor.

At first Chad thought Will's PTSD had finally kicked off. That he had probably triggered it with something he had said.

But Chad had managed to see something in Will's eyes when he attacked him again. His friend wasn't himself, and it wasn't the stress disorder. He hadn't seen such a thing first-hand, but he had definitely heard of it. And he had his number one suspect.  _"Father"._

He stood up, evading a vase that Will threw at him, and it was shattered to pieces when it impacted the floor. Chad winced when Thomas started crying because of all the noise.

 _"Dammit, Thomas"_  he realized.  _"I gotta get him out of here"._

"Oh look!" he exclaimed, trying to distract Will. "Look, Sonny arrived!"

But Will didn't look to the door.

"No?" he said. "Ok, how about this? Look, Ari is here!"

Will didn't react, but the door did open, and Abigail, Gabi and Arianna let themselves in.

Chad grimaced and hit his face with his palm. "Oh, why me?"

"What's going on?" asked Abby, as Ari hid behind Gabi when Will kicked aside a chair and tried to attack Chad again. "If this is one of your jokes, I swear..."

"Get him out of here!" Chad shouted , as Will chased him. "Get Thomas out of here, I'll distract him!"

"What's happening to Will?!" Gabi asked, making sure Arianna was safe behind her.

"Just take him, dammit, and get the hell out of here!"

Abby left her bags on the floor, took a deep breath and ran into the main room, as Chad ran to a side of the room, making Will get away from her. But, unfortunately, he got caught in a corner, and Will started throwing punchs at him. Chad ducked a few times, and Will ended up hitting the wall.

Will's hands were all bloodied after a few punches, and he didn't seem to be affected at all.

Abigail went to Thomas's playpen and picked up the crying baby. She turned to Gabi and gave her a nod, and she took the bags in a hand and Arianna with the other, and, after Abby ran to the door, both women got out of the Mansion.

Will finally turned his gaze to the door.

"The heir!" he roared, and ran to it, leaving Chad.

"No!" Chad exclaimed, and ran too, managing to get himself in Will's way. "Hey, it's me who you want, isn't it?"

Will threw a punch at Chad's face, but Chad made a step behind.

"Oops, missed" he said with a grin. It disappeared when Will looked at him murderously. "Kinda wish you didn't".

He ran from him, and Will chased him upstairs.

* * *

"Oh my God, what the hell was that?" Gabi hissed, as she and Abigail paced outside the mansion.

"I have no idea" said Abigail, holding Thomas, who seemed to calm down, much to Gabi's relief, because his scandal seemed to be disturbing Ari. "Will is definitely out of himself, I mean, why on Earth would he attack Chad?"

"Maybe his PTSD finally kicked off" Gabi suggested.

"Maybe" Abby replied, trying to look through the glass of the window. "But I don't think that is it. As bad as Will's condition is, he would never try to break stuff in my house, disturb my child and try to kill Chad all at once. He loves Thomas, and he loves Chad. I just don't get this".

"Should we call Marlena?"

"I think so..."

Just then, some screams came from the second floor, followed by the sound of something smashed against a wall, probably another vase. Both girls flinched.

"This doesn't make any sense!" Gabi exclaimed, as Ari hugged her leg, while she sent a text to Marlena.

"Will looked strange to me" said Abby. "I've had PTSD myself. I've been around other patients with that condition as well".

"But Marlena said people deal with it in different ways".

"I know, but none of them turned into people who try to kill their best friend!"

Gabi though for a moment. Then, she gasped realizing something.

"What is it?" asked Abby.

"Did you see a different spark in Will's eyes when he was attacking Chad?" Gabi asked.

Abigail shrugged. "I was too busy trying to get my baby out of the room to do anything at all".

"I saw something like that when Rafe was kidnapped and replaced. His double had the same spark, but I didn't think it was anything strange at first. Abigail, that's not Will".

"Are you saying Will's been replaced again?" Abby asked, frowning.

"No!" Gabi exclaimed. "Your house is like, one of the safest places in town, and Deimos is already dead, so that couldn't have happened".

"So what are you saying?" she said.

"I believe something has been done to him, be it from distance or when he was alone" she said.

Abigail thought for a moment. She thought of her relatives who had gone through the same thing. And only one person had been the culprit...

"Well, ladies" said Stefano, as he arrived, taking off his gloves and startling them. "What are you doing outside? It is a cold night, you should be inside. Especially your children".

Abby, with a resolute, angry face, gave Thomas to Gabi and walked towards him. "You".

"What is it?" asked Stefano, frowning as she poked him in the chest with her finger.

"You" Abby repeated. "You tell me right now what you've done to my cousin".

* * *

"Your father, I swear to God" Sami cursed, as she picked up some cups and small plates of the table.

"You have to give him some credit" EJ commented. "He did not try to do anything. He only bonded with his grandchildren and we kept an eye on him. Nothing happened".

Sami rolled her eyes. "Ok, ok. But maybe Stefano is trying to get in our good books so he can attack when our guards are down".

EJ chuckled. "You are either paranoid or watch too many soap operas".

"Don't judge me" she said.

EJ went to hug her from behind. "Cut Father some slack. He is old, he can't do the same things he could before".

"Maybe" she replied, as her phone suddenly rang. "I still don't trust him. Years, EJ, he made my family suffer for years".

"And I can understand that" he replied, as Sami picked up.

"Hello?"

_"Sami? It's me"._

"Mom? Hi, what's up?"

_"Sami, you must come to the DiMera Mansion right away. It's an emergency"._

"The mansion?" she said, glancing at EJ. "Why, what happened? Is it about Will?"

_"Yes, honey. I just received a message from Gabi saying Will is not himself and is attacking Chad. I think it has to do with his PTSD, but I'm not sure"._

"Whoa, wait. Why on Earth would Will attack Chad?"

_"I'll look into it when I'm there"._

"Does Lucas know?"

_"I already called him. Sami, hurry up. According to Gabi's message, it's not pretty"._

Sami nodded. "On my way".

"What happened?" asked EJ when she hung up.

"Will's had some sort of breakdown at the mansion and is attacking Chad" she imformed him. "We must go there and see what's going on".

"I'm going with you".

* * *

Malcolm heated his pizza, took out a soda and relaxed on the couch, ready to continue his  _Friends_ marathon. So far it hadn't been such a boring day.

Except the things Chad had told him, his worries, were now bugging him. Could Will have been misdiagnosed? He definitely needed to ask Marlena about that.

But for now, he was ready to see the aftermath of Ross saying the wrong name during his wedding.

 _"God, do I wish that never happens to me"_ he thought, chuckling.

But, he groaned in annoyance when he had to pause the episode when his phone rang.

"Lucas?"

 _"Hey Malcolm"_ Lucas panted.  _"Where are you?"_

"Home" he replied. "Where else would I be?"

_"Malcolm, Marlena just called me to say something's wrong with Will!"_

"What? That's impossible. He only took a sleeping pill too early!"

_"There's a chance his PTSD has kicked off, but we're not sure. He's breaking stuff all over the mansion and attacking Chad"._

"I'll be right there" said Malcolm. He sighed, putting his pizza in the freezer again and putting on his shoes.

* * *

"I beg your pardon?" asked Stefano, offended.

"Don't play dumb" Abby accused. "This has your name written all over it".

"I did not kidnap William and had him replaced, that was Deimos Kiriakis!" Stefano exclaimed, indignant. "I am pretty sure that has already been settled!"

"Oh, I'm not talking about that" said Abby, and pointed to the mansion. "I'm talking about all the hell breaking loose inside there!"

Stefano stared at her in disbelief, and walked to the door. He heard something being smashed against a wall, and winced. He turned to the girls. "What in God's name is going on in my house? You two tell me right now!"

" _You_ tell us" said Gabi. "You've done this before, haven't you?"

"Will has completely lost his mind and is attacking my husband,  _your_ son" said Abby. "You better undo this right now, before someone gets hurt".

"I did no such thing!" Stefano exclaimed.

"Then who?" asked Gabi. "This seems to be your area of expertise. Mind-control".

"Mind-control? I thought William had post-traumatic stress disorder!"

"That's not PTSD, that's for sure" said Abigail. "Look, Chad could get really hurt, so you have to do something!"

"I will tell you what I will do" Stefano said, taking out his keys. "I am going to enter and call my men!"

"Don't" said someone from the porch. Everyone turned around. Malcolm had arrived, along with Lucas, Sami, EJ and Marlena.

"If you hurt my brother, I'll give you hell" Malcolm threatened. "And not just from me, her too!"

He pointed at Sami, who seemed ready to charge at Stefano, just like EJ seemed ready to hold and stop her from doing it.

Stefano approached Malcolm, with a dangerous glare in his face. "Your brother is in there, attacking  _my_ son. If he is hurt, I promise he will regret being born".

Malcolm looked at him defiantly in his eyes. He wasn't afraid. He didn't know Stefano that well anyway. "Open the door".

Stefano glared at him for a few seconds, but obliged. The second the door was open, Malcolm pushed Stefano aside and rushed inside. The others followed.

* * *

"Hey man" said Chad, cornered again in the second floor by Will after being chased all over the Mansion and lifting his hands in surrender. "Hey, it's me, it's me! I'm your best friend, I'm letting you stay at my house, I don't ask you for anything in return except letting me live!"

Will didn't react.

"Ok fine, don't care about me, whatever!" Chad said. "But I know my little brother is in there somewhere! You won't kill me, mark my words!"

Will charged at him.

"Or maybe you will" Chad murmured, horrified, and moved to a side, as Will collided against the wall.

"Look, this can't be going on anymore, ok?" he panted. "One, you're my best friend. Two, I'm so tired of running around the house!"

Will got up from the floor (he fell after crashing the wall) and ran towards him again.

Chad, covered his face, getting ready for whatever blow Will had for him. Only, he felt he was being pulled. Someone had grabbed his coat and made him move. Malcolm.

Once Chad was out of the way, Malcolm caught Will and threw him and himself to the floor. In matter of seconds, he had Will in a joint lock, as the others came.

Will roared and fought hard, but couldn't break free. Malcolm was really strong.

"Someone neutralize him!" he exclaimed.

Marlena, quickly, kneeled next to them with her bag, from which she took out a syringe with a substance in it. She put on her gloves and prepared it. "He must not move".

"I'm trying but God, is he strong!" Malcolm said as he struggled with Will.

Marlena waited a few seconds, and when Malcolm managed to keep Will still, she inyected him as fast as she could. Will struggled with Malcolm for a while longer, but Malcolm soon noticed his brother was losing strenght. When he finally let go, Will was passed out.

Malcolm exhaled in relief and stood up, as Sami, hugged by EJ, looked as she was about to cry. Ari and Thomas had gotten scared, and were hiding behind Gabi's leg, as she tried desperately to show them there was no danger anymore.

"What the hell was that?!" Lucas exclaimed, while Stefano, annoyed, straightened a picture on the wall.

"Not PTSD, I assure you" said Abigail, who had gone to see if Chad was ok.

"No" said Marlena, still kneeling next to Will. "We must take him to the hospital. I'm not sure, but something could have been done to him".

"Like what?" demanded Sami.

"A micro-chip?" Malcolm suggested, looking at Stefano. The old man stared at him indignantly. "Don't look at me that way, I made my research when I got here. We all know the things you've done in the past".

"Is this true?" Sami asked,ready to atack Stefano. Only, she had to struggle with EJ, unsuccesfully. "Let me go! I want answers, now!"

"Father" said Chad, approaching him. "Have you done something to Will?"

"I haven't!" Stefano insisted. "I don't deny I did this kind of things before, but that is in the past! I thought William was dead just like everyone else in this room!"

"Liar!" Sami accused, still fighting EJ's grip.

"Samantha, Samantha! Listen to me!" said EJ, and lowered his voice when Sami calmed a bit. "Look, I think he is telling the truth".

"What?"

"Father's not the kind of person who denies something and gets defensive" he reasoned. "In fact, if he had indeed done something to William he would deny it but also, he'd be hypocritically smiling".

Stefano looked at him, offended.

"Ambulance's on the way" said Gabi, after hanging up her phone. She had left the kids downstairs.

"Maybe Stefano didn't do it" said Marlena. "But Will's definitely being mentally controlled, the signs are obvious. If there's a chip, it must be removed immediatly. I'll make sure a MRI is made".

"The nape" said Stefano, as sirens were heard outside and Gabi went to open the door. "It has to be there".

Lucas approached Chad. "I'm really sorry for this. We'll pay you back everything Will broke".

Chad made a dismissive wave with his hand. "That's the least of my concerns. By tomorrow everything will be recovered. I just want Will to be ok".

"We understand if he has to move out. In fact, I..."

"Not a chance. He's staying here, and that's final".

Lucas nodded. "Thanks".

Gabi came back with the paramedics, who carefully took Will and put him on a stretcher. Lucas, Sami and Marlena went with them.

"Alright" said Gabi. "I better take off. Ari will probably want to be with her dad".

"Are you sure? It's kinda late" said Abby, as Chad grimaced. No one noticed.

"Thank God it's Friday" Gabi said with little emotion. "I'll see you guys later".

"I'll go with you" said Malcolm.

They left too.

"Well" said EJ. "I'm going to check on Samantha. God only knows what she will do to the doctors if they don't tell her what she wants to hear".

Chad nodded, and made a face again, followed by a little grunt.

Abby turned to him. "You ok? What's the matter?"

"Son?" asked Stefano.

"No, it's nothing, I..." Chad made a pained face, and put his hand on his chest. "Ah".

"What? Chad, what?" Abby said.

"I..." Chad closed his eyes in pain, clutched his chest, and fell to the floor.

Stefano recognized what happened.

"Chad, Chad!" said EJ, quickly kneeling next to him.

"Oh my God!" Abby cried.

Stefano turned around, and took his phone. The call was taken immediatly. "This is Stefano DiMera. I need an ambulance right away. My son's having a heart attack".

* * *

Sonny entered the living room of the Kiriakis Mansion, exhausted. He dropped himself on the couch, as Victor, who was on his habitual chair, having some tea, stared at him.

"Long day?" he asked.

Sonny sighed. "I saw Will today. I think there's a chance. I think we can get our life together back".

"What's with my family and their love interests? Always going for people who aren't good for them" Victor complained.

"Uncle Vic" he warned. "Will never hurt me. He never cheated on me, he never schemed for anything".

"Oh please, Will's been a screw up ever since I met him" he said. "And you are dumb for falling in his claws. Look at Phillip. Look at Brady. They go for women who have screwed them over for years!"

"Uncle Vic, stop it!" Sonny yelled. "I won't have it. Will has already been through a lot, and he doesn't deserve this!"

"Will is a person whose life has been all about danger and near-death experiences since he was born!"

"I'm the nephew of an ex-crime lord!"

Victor's face seemed to twist.

"You think I don't know the kind of life  _you_ have had? You think I don't know how many times you've been married? How many times you've cheated, schemed and plotted? You think I don't know most of your good actions have had ulterior motives?"

"That's different" Victor weakly defended.

"You're right" said Sonny. "It's worse. Will's not a bad person, he's a person who has had bad things happen to him. And I'm planning on changing that".

"You will fail" said Victor, just as Sonny's phone rang. "Bad habits die hard. His family is going to drag him into more messes, and make him spiral out of control like always".

Sonny, still glaring at him, picked up the call. "Yes?"

_"Sonny, it's Gabi. Come to the hospital right now. They're preparing Will for surgery"._

"Wha... Surgery?" Sonny frowned. "I just saw him, what happened?"

_"I'll explain everything later. Come here, quick!"_

"On my way" he said, and hung up. He turned to Victor. "This isn't over".

He took his coat and left the house.

Victor sighed, and took a sip of his tea. When he looked up, Maggie was looking at him from the door.

"How much did you hear?" he asked.

"Everything" she replied. She slowly walked towards him, and joined him on the chair. "You need to stop attacking the people your family loves. Now, don't forget Will is my nephew too".

Victor rolled his eyes. "Alright. I'll apologize tomorrow".

"You should" she said. "Because if you keep being like this, you'll tear your family apart for good".

* * *

Kayla got out of a room, and was addressed by Lucas and Sami, followed by Marlena and Gabi, who had Arianna. The poor doctor didn't even have time to take off her glasses before she was bombarded with questions.

"How is he?" asked Sami.

"He's gonna be ok, right?" said Lucas.

"What happened?"

"Did he get hurt?"

"Will you operate on him?"

"Guys, guys, please!" said Kayla, pushing them away a bit. She took off her glasses.

"We just wanna know why our son lost it tonight" said Sami.

"Daddy" Ari whispered.

"Oh, it's ok, sweetie" said Gabi, who was carrying her. "Daddy's gonna be ok, he's just a little sick. You'll see him in no time".

"Come on, Kayla, what's the problem with Will?" asked Lucas.

Kayla sighed, and opened the envelope she was carrying, taking out a X-ray and showing it to them. "You tell me".

Sami and Lucas looked closer. The scan had been taken on Will's nape, and something small, square-shaped could be seen.

"That's a chip" said Marlena. "I know it is".

"So do we" said Kayla. "We must operate to take it out. I've brought my best surgeons to do the job. Will's going to be just..."

Suddenly, EMTs appeared, carrying another stretcher, followed by EJ, Stefano and Abigail, who was carrying Thomas.

"What the hell?" said Sami when she caught sight of her husband. She motioned to go to him, but the stretcher got in her way.

Gasps where heard when they saw who was on it.

"Chad!" Marlena exclaimed.

Chad was indeed lying unconscious on the stretcher.

"What's going on?" asked Lucas.

"Excuse me" said Kayla, and approached one of the EMTs. "What happened here?"

"Heart attack" he replied. "Went into cardiac arrest on our way here. He's stable, for now".

"Heart attack?" Kayla repeated, frowning. She checked Chad's pulse. "Ok, take him in".

The paramedics took Chad away, followed by her.

Sami approached her husband. "EJ, what happened? We like just left you guys at the mansion, what's this about a heart attack?"

"You heard them" said EJ. "Chad had a heart attack not too long after you left".

"But how come?" she asked. "He's way too young!"

"I am not an expert, but I believe it has to do with the fact that his heart is still healing from being grazed by the bullet Deimos fired at him. The agitation and stress provoked by Will chasing him could have triggered this".

"Oh my God" said Sami, hugging him. "My son almost kills your brother".

"I'm pretty sure he won't see it that way" he replied.

Meanwhile, Abigail approached Stefano. "I just talked to Uncle Lucas. He said Will  _does_ have a chip in his head, and he's gonna have surgery to remove it".

"Now you believe me?" asked Stefano.

"Fine, I do" she said, rolling her eyes.

"Alright" said Malcolm, as he joined Lucas and Marlena. "Sorry I took so long, the bathrooms are closed for some reason and I had to use one on the first floor. So, how's Will?"

He caught sight of the DiMeras. "What are you guys doing here?"

"Chad had a heart attack" said Abby.

Malcolm frowned. "Come again?"

"Not too long after you left, he had it" she said.

"And how is he?"

"Stable" said Kayla, as she returned. "He'll have to spend a few days here for observation. I believe this happened because of agitation and stress, especially considering he just had another surgery not too long ago. As for Will, he's already under surgery".

Sami sighed. "Ok. So now we wait".

The doors of the elevator opened, an Sonny walked in. Gabi left Ari with Malcolm, and approached him.

"Gabi, what's this about surgery?" he asked.

"Will has a control chip on his brain" Gabi informed. "It made him go crazy out of the blue, and tried to kill Chad at the Mansion. Malcolm and Marlena had to neutralize him to bring him here so they can remove it?"

"What? How did that thing ended up in Will's head?"

"No idea. They thought it was Stefano's doing, but it looks like it's not".

"My God" said Sonny. "But he'll be ok, right?"

Gabi nodded. "And that's not the end of it. Chad had a heart attack".

Sonny frowned. "No way. Is he...?"

"Dead? No. Kayla just said he's been stabilized" she replied. "It kinda makes sense to me, I mean, he just got out of another surgery, you know?"

As they talked, Malcolm caught sight of them. Abby looked at them too.

"Ok, who invited Jackson?" he asked.

"Stop it" Abby warned. "He loved Will at some point, and maybe he still does. He wants to know if he's ok".

Malcolm nodded, as he held Ari's hand. "Alright. I might as well question him once Will's out of the OR".

"Question him?"

"Yeah. Ain't it obvious?"

"What's obvious?" she asked.

"Well, Will has had a chip implanted in his head. The only person who has done it before didn't this time. But that doesn't mean it couldn't have been done by someone else".

"Meaning?"

Malcolm stared at her. "Who has had plenty of time to do anything to him when he was away?"

"That's impossible" said Abby. "He wasn't even there, and Will was conscious all the time".

"Except for the time he wasn't after just being kidnapped" said Malcolm. "There were obviously lots of men involved, long distance orders and it's a long flight to Italy if you ask me".

Abigail gasped in realization. In fact, she felt kind of stupid for not figuring it out before.

"Deimos".


	34. Chapter 34

Will and Chad's interventions were succesful. Chad was stabilized and kept for observation while more studies were made to determine what exactly triggered his heart attack, and the chip in Will's head was removed and kept in Kayla's office to be given to the police later that day for its destruction.

Only, a certain agent got one step ahead.

After a few knocks, Malcolm popped his head in. "Hi, you busy?"

"Oh, hi Malcolm" Kayla greeted. "Please, come in. How can I help you?"

Malcolm, rubbing his hands together, entered the office, and sat across her in her desk.

"I was kinda wondering if you still have the chip you removed from Will's brain last night" he said.

"I actually do" she replied, standing up and walking towards a shelf. She opened a drawer and took out a small bag. She returned to the desk and sat, putting the bag in front of Malcolm.

"I figured you'd like to see it, since you've proven to like this things" she said, putting on a glove and giving one to Malcolm, who put in on, and took the chip from the bag. "I'll give it to the police and they will destroy it".

"I see" said Malcolm, taking the chip and examining it. "Except that I can't let you do that".

Kayla raised an eyebrow. "Excuse me?"

"Yeah, you see" he said, sitting straighter. "You must give the chip to me".

"And why would I do that?"

"You said so yourself. If the police gets this chip, they'll destroy it. I figured I can give this a better use".

"Which is?"

"Investigation, of course!" he replied. "We all know Deimos is behind Will's kidnapping, replacement... Now this. But this chip wasn't activated until last night. I must know where this thing got its signal from, and who made my brother go crazy".

Kayla sighed. "Ok, I can understand that. Deimos was already dead so it couldn't have been him, and I understand you want revenge for what happened to your brother but, Malcolm, I already gave my word to Hope that I would give this to her".

"I'll handle her" Malcolm said. "And it's not that I want revenge or something like that. That's actually Sami. I'm just folling orders. I have to erase all signs of Deimos's influence in Salem".

Kayla thought for a minute. Hope was not going to be happy. She sighed. "Alright, fine. Take it".

"Thanks" Malcolm grinned, putting the chip in the bag and putting it in his pocket. He stood up. "So, what's their prognosis?"

"Good" she replied. "Both will make a full recovery".

"I expect nothing less" he said, as he left the office.

* * *

When Will opened his eyes, he had to close them instantly again, for the light that came from the roof was way too bright.

Taking his time, he took notice of the place where he was. How he got there, he had no idea. His head hurt, his hands hurt. Hell, his whole body hurt. In fact, his hands had been bandaged, just like he had a bandage that was around his head, but didn't cover it all.

He turned his head to a side, noticing there was another bed next to his. Chad was lying there, still sleeping.

All of a sudden, all the memories came back to him. He remembered. He had tried to kill him, and had caused a total chaos at the Mansion the night before. He remembered that Malcolm had appeared too, and then everything had gone black.

Was he stopped? Or did he succeed in hurting Chad? And where was his brother? What the hell happened?

"You woke" a female voice said, making him startle a bit.

Abigail, who was sitting on a chair making Thomas drink from his sippy cup, chuckled. "So glad you're back. You gave quite a scare".

Will stared at her. "What happened to me? Why am i here? And why is Chad here?"

"Hey, try to relax, ok? We're all ok and that's what matters. Don't worry, Chad woke up a while ago. He's still a little stressed so I made him rest".

Will breathed in and out, calming himself down. "Ok. Ok, I'm good. What happened to me?"

Abby moved her chair, so she would be sitting closer to Will. "You weren't exactly ignored when you were kidnapped. Deimos had a control chip implanted in your head when he took you. You had to have surgery to remove it".

Will didn't seem surprised. Both were actually used to this kind of drama in their families ever since they were born. "Well, that explains the headache. How did you find out?"

"Well" she said. "You and Chad were looking after Thomas, then you went all crazy and attacked him".

Will frowned at her, tilting his head, and looked at Chad. "I do remember that. But... Did I..."

"Not exactly".

"He looks pretty unscathed to me".

"Look" Abby explained. "It wasn't your fault, ok?"

Will started to worry. "Abigail, just tell me. What did I do to him?"

"Nothing!" she insisted. "Look, you were out of control, ok? You chased him all around the house trying to hurt him, and you ended up hurting yourself in the process. Anyway, we all got there, and Malcolm managed to 'neutralize' you, and you passed out. Your parents took you here".

Will nodded slowly. Then he gasped. "Wait, Thomas was with us. Please tell me I didn't..."

"You didn't" she said. "I mean, you tried, but you couldn't. I got him out of there in time".

"You were there?"

"Gabi and I came in just when you had your 'meltdown'. You gave Ari quite a scare. But don't worry, she knows you're dealing with a condition and thinks you just had a bad reaction".

"Ok, ok" Will said, calmer. He glanced at Chad. "So, if I didn't get to actually hurt him, how come he ended up here?"

"Well, because of all the fear and the running, he got very agitated" Abby said. "Not too long after the paramedics took you, Chad had a heart attack".

Will shook his head. "No. Oh my God, I did this to him. He's in here because of me, again!"

"You'd never hurt him on purpouse. You're dealing with a lot..."

"It hasn't even been a week and look what I caused!"

"Will, him being shot and his health scare weren't directly provoked by you, it was all Deimos" she said. "Malcolm said he's working to prove it was him and not Stefano who put the chip in your head".

"Of course it wasn't Stefano" said Will. "I would have never attacked a DiMera had it been him. In fact, I would have succeeded killing whoever he sent me to kill!"

"See, obviously!" she agreed.

"What's all this killing talking?"

Abby and Will turned to Chad's bed. He had woken up again, and was rubbing his eyes. Abby went to his bedside.

"Hey, how are you feeling?" she asked.

"Tired of sleeping" he replied, accepting her and Thomas's kisses. "I wanna go home".

"Sorry, babe, you must stay and rest. Besides, they have to make a few tests to determine if you're going to have heart problems in the future".

"My father is Stefano DiMera" he said, sitting on the bed. "Of course I'll have heart problems in the future".

"Hopefully you won't" she argued. "You lead a healthy life".

Chad nodded. He turned to the other bed. Will was lying on it awake, but was staring at the ceiling.

"Do you mind giving us a few?" he asked.

"Of course" she said with a nod, taking Thomas and getting out.

Chad, with little effort, got up from his bed, and slowly walked to Will's.

Will tried not to look at him. But it was difficult when Chad wouldn't stop staring at him.

* * *

Malcolm walked into the lobby with the chip safe in his pocket, and found Sonny having some coffee there. He rolled his eyes, when Sonny glanced at him and resumed his activity.

"Any word on Will?"

"The prognosis good" Malcolm replied. "I haven't seen him yet, though".

"Then how do you know?"

"I was actually talking to Dr Brady. She, um, gave me the chip Will had in his head".

Sonny raised an eyebrow. "Shouldn't the police have it instead of you?"

Malcolm narrowed his eyes. "The police wants to destroy it and call it a day. I want to be productive. Especially if it means I get to nail your dear dead uncle".

"Deimos was anything but dear to me" he said.

"But Victor is".

"What the hell does that mean?"

Malcolm approached him. "Victor and Deimos have already plotted to kill me once. I know they had been 'working' together for a while by then. I wouldn't be surprised if Victor had been in charge of activating the chip".

"My uncle has had nothing to do with Will's situation in any way!" Sonny defended.

"The guy's sneaky and calcullating. Not to mention one hell of a hypocrite. To me, he's the perfect match for a suspect".

"He grieved Will's death with us when we all thought he had died too".

"The man who called my brother a man-whore, threatened to kill him himself for hurting his golden boy and made sure the entire town trash his name lamented and wept when he actually died" Malcolm said sardonically. He scoffed. "And it wasn't even him".

"He's very protective of his family" Sonny argued.

Malcolm shrugged. "One of the first things I heard about you were your morals, independence and self-sufficiency. Yet here you are, defending the people who made the life of the man you say you loved with all your heart a living hell, and all because of a job in a corporation, a mansion and some food".

"They're my family..."

"Perhaps they've brainwashed you too in their dark path. Hell, it wouldn't surprise me to see involved in this either!"

"How dare you say that?" Sonny said. "I'm sorry, but Will was my family and I did defend him when my family was harsh with him. But we all thought he had died, so I had to turn my loyalty to my uncle. But I still don't allow anyone to say a single bad thing about him because I do love him".

Malcolm raised an eyebrow. "That doesn't change too much of this case, you know? Your family has a very particular way of dealing with things, just like the DiMeras used to have. And I know the war between you hasn't ended. You want Will, but he's under Chad's wing. Imagine that paradox, Will killing his best friend and returning to his former flame with the family that's mistreated him for years..."

"I didn't have any knowledge of any of Deimos's plans" Sonny defended. "And if you are implying that I would hurt Will to get what I want, I swear to God..."

"Hey, I'm not making accusations" he replied, raising a hand. "Yet. I'll do some research in this thing, see where it came from and who turned it on. But I can promise you, whoever did this, will be sorry".

Sonny approached too, getting face to face with him. "Is that a threat?"

Malcolm tilted his head. "Promise".

He got away, and left. Sonny watched him, fuming.

* * *

Chad sat on Will's bed. Will avoided his eyes, concentrated on a little fly that fluttered around the lights of the room. His friend raised an eyebrow.

"Will, look at me" he said.

Will didn't do so.

"Look at me".

Will rolled his eyes, blinked, turned to Chad and blinked a bit more.

"I might have been asleep, but I did hear you beating yourself up" Chad said.

"You have no idea how sorry I am" he replied. "I swear, I know you're in here because of me".

"I am here because of my heart. I had surgery in my chest a few days ago, it was logical that I had this".

"But triggered by me..."

"Kind of, but not your fault".

"...I  _am_ a horrible person..."

"Hey" Chad scolded.

"...I could have just stayed at the castle...".

Chad didn't see any option. Since he couldn't smack Will in his head because of his bandage, he came up with another idea. He pinched Will's arm.

"OW!" Will complained, glaring at Chad and rubbing his arm.

"I'm sorry but, can you just shut up for a minute?" he asked.

Chad went to the bag Abby had brought him, and took out a folder, where he had carefully put a picture. He took the photo and returned to the bed, sitting on it.

"I want you to see this" he said, showing him the photo.

Will took it and looked.

It was a picture of him and Chad, both as teenagers, arms around each other, tongues out making the sign of the horns and Billie Joe Armstrong behind them on stage.

"Green Day" he smiled.

"That's right".

"I can't believe you still have this".

Chad shrugged. "It's like the only photo with the both of us. Besides, it's my favorite".

"What are you talking about. There's tons of pictures of us" Will said.

"Then you must have them... Or Sami".

"I'll ask her".

"Anyway" said Chad, pointing to Will in the picture. "You know who this is?".

Will stared at him. "That's me, duh".

"No" he said. "This is my best friend. In fact, he's the best friend I could ever ask for. He stood by my side when I needed him the most. He would never, ever hurt me or the ones that I love. And I love him like my little brother. I want to be there for him just like he was there for me, but he's too stubborn to listen to me".

Will closed his eyes and shook his head.

"You ever wondered how Ari recognized you? Even though she was very little when you were taken".

When Will didn't answer, but looked away, Chad placed his hand on his friend's shoulder. "When you 'died', after all my drama was over, I had this photo framed. I actually have it on my desk in my office, along with other pictures I consider important".

"You do?"

Chad nodded. "A few months ago, I was babysitting. Ari went to explore the house as I made cookies for her and Thomas".

Will smiled sadly. "She's adventurous. I like to think she got that from Sonny".

Chad rolled his eyes. "Maybe. I found her staring a little too much at it. I explained to her who you were".

"Thanks" he whispered.

"I want you to accept that you didn't attack me on purpose. That it was all Deimos" Chad said, with his hand on the top of Will's head. He leaned down and kissed his forehead. "I love you, bud. I'll never get tired of telling you that".

Will sniffed, and nodded. He looked at the picture again. "Maybe one day we can go see Foo Fighters or Pearl Jam".

"One day" Chad chuckled, and took the photo. "Ok, now give it back, I need it in my office intact".

"Of course that's all you  _actually_ care about" Will rolled his eyes.

Chad laughed with him, as Abigail smiled at the scene, having watched the entire conversation through the glass or the door.

* * *

"Malcolm!" Hope called, as they crossed paths at the square.

"Oh, hey!" he greeted.

"Hi" she replied. "How's Will? How's Chad?"

"Good" he said with a shrug. "Hurt and unconscious, but good".

"At least they're going to be ok".

"Oh yeah, definitely".

"That's good to hear" Hope said. "Well, I should get going. We're gonna get rid of the chip Deimos put in Will's head".

"You mean this chip?" Malcolm said bluntly, taking out the bag with the chip from the pocket of his coat.

Hope frowned, looking at it, and put her hands on her hips. "How come you have it?"

"I asked for it and they gave it to me" he said, shrugging again.

"Yes? Well, it wasn't supposed to be given to you" he replied. "Kayla said she'd hand it over to the police".

 _"Be respectful, she's your aunt"_ Malcolm thought, wanting to throw in her face the futility and comformism the Salem Police Department had shown over the years. Instead, he just smirked. "Yeah, well, you see, there was a little change of plans".

Hope scoffed. "A little change of plans?"

Malcolm nodded. "You're planning on destroying the chip. I'm planning on digging further. The CIA needs this chip in order to know all about the guys who tried to mentally control Will".

"It was Deimos. We all know it. He's behind this mess".

"Deimos was already dead when Will lost it".

Hope didn't answer.

"I'll take this home with me" he said. "Then, you can do whatever you want with it".

* * *

"Abigail" said Sonny, meeting her outside Will and Chad's room.

"Oh, hi, Sonny" she greeted, carrying Thomas, who hid his face in her neck. It was apparent he somehow knew his daddy didn't like the guy his mommy was talking to.

Abby glanced at his clothes. "Did you spend the whole night here?"

Sonny rubbed the back of his head. "Yeah. You didn't?"

"No, I went home and changed" she said. "Besides, I needed to clean up the mess at the mansion. It wasn't too hard, though".

"Good".

Sonny approached the door. Chad and Will were laughing at something he couldn't hear or understand. If he was honest, it bugged him.

"What are they talking about?" he asked.

Abby sighed. "Will just needed some reassurance. He needed to know that nothing of what Deimos did to him was his fault".

"Of course it wasn't" Sonny said, recalling Malcolm's words.

_Malcolm approached him. "Victor and Deimos have already plotted to kill me once. I know they had been 'working' together for a while by then. I wouldn't be surprised if Victor had been in charge of activating the chip"._

_"My uncle has had nothing to do with Will's situation in any way!" Sonny defended._

_"The guy's sneaky and calcullating. Not to mention one hell of a hypocrite. To me, he's the perfect match for a suspect"._

Sonny pursed his lips. "You think I should go in?"

"I don't know" Abby replied. "But if you really want to, please, for the love of God, do not provoke Chad".

"I know" she continued, stopping Sonny from protesting. "I know you aren't friends anymore and that he will probably be giving you a hard time, but try to tolerate him for a bit, he doesn't need to stress himself to the point of having another heart attack".

Sonny wanted to protest, but because he cared deeply about his cousin, he sighed and nodded. "Fine. I'll do my best and not fight with him".

"Thank you".

"You won't come in?"

"No, no" she replied, and rubbed Thomas's back. "I'll go home and put this little guy down for a nap".

"Ok, take care".

"You too".

Abby left. Sonny took a deep breath, and opened the door of the room.

* * *

"You did not just say that!" Will laughed.

"Oh, I did and I'll say it again" Chad declared, still sitting on Will's bed and laughing with him.

"You suck".

Chad was about to argue when the door opened. They both turned to see Sonny enter.

"Am I interrupting?" he asked.

"No" said Will. "Come in".

Chad stood up. "Sonny. Where have you been?"

Will looked at him. "You care?"

"No, I just wanna know so I can send him back there".

Sonny rolled his eyes. "I'm not here to fight, Chad".

"Then?"

Sonny looked at Will. "I was hoping I could talk to you".

He motioned to move towards the bed, but Chad got in his way.

"Chad" sighed Will. "Please, let him".

Chad glared at Sonny, and went to his own bed, sitting on it.

"What do you want?" Will asked.

Sonny glanced at Chad, then at him. "I was hoping we could talk privately".

"Well I can't go anywhere" said Will. "And Chad won't go, this is his room too, so that can't happen".

"Are you mad at me?"

"No. I'm just tired. And I just got off of a pity party so please don't make me have another one".

"I won't" he promised. "How are you feeling?"

Will shrugged. "I've been better. This isn't the first time I have surgery in the head".

"I know. You told me once" Sonny smiled. "I'm really sorry this happened to you. If it hadn't been for Deimos..."

"Deimos is dead" said Will. "There's no use in keeping pointing out the obvious: that he's to blame for all this".

Sonny nodded. "Alright. Sorry".

Chad, who was sitting on his bed with his legs crossed, scoffed. "What's the point of all this?"

"Ok, you hush" said Will, raising his finger as a warning.

Chad shut his mouth and rolled his eyes.

"Look, I just want you to be ok" said Sonny. "And I can promise you I will never, ever let anyone hurt you. You never deserved any of my family's crap. Neither mine".

"No, I didn't" said Will. "And I won't take any more of it".

"I know" said Sonny. "I just wanted you to know that".

Sonny couldn't help himself. Before he knew it, he was cupping Will's face. "And that I won't rest until I prove that I'm worthy of you. Because they were wrong, Will. I was the one who wasn't good enough for you, and I never valued you the way I should have".

"I wasn't perfect" Will argued. "I did lie to you about what happened with Arianna..."

"You are a better person than I will ever be" he interrupted. "You're so loyal, so kind, so selfless. I doubted you several times, especially when that person took your life, and I won't do that again".

Chad rolled his eyes at the scene, refraining from talking.  _"Kiss ass"._

"I don't want this" said Will. "Not now. I... I need time to heal. I need time to reconnect with my daughter. Then, I will think about us".

"I won't pressure you" Sonny vowed, and offered him his hand. "Will, will you be my friend again?"

Will looked at Sonny's hand, and turned to Chad, as if asking for his opinion. But Chad just shrugged. Will looked at Sonny, and took his hand. "Yeah, sure".

Sonny smiled at him, leaned down and kissed his cheek. "Rest well".

Once he left the room, Will turned to Chad and sighed. "I know you still think he..."

"Eh" Chad dismissed, raising his hand to stop him. He got off of his bed and sat on Will's bed again. "Whatever. At least you didn't fall for his cheesy words. I just hope you're making the right decision".

Will smiled. "I won't be easy, that's for sure".

"That's my boy" Chad said proudly, patting his shoulder.

* * *

"Son of a bitch" Malcolm cursed as he threw away his laptop.

Well, what used to be his laptop.

The moment he introduced the chip, sparks and smoke came out of the device, and Malcolm barely had time to take the chip out of it before the laptop cracked and became useless.

He looked at the small chip he had left on the table. "You think you're so smart, huh? Well I'm smarter".

He went to his room and took out a special computer he had for that kind of situations. It was like a laptop, only way more sofisticated, courtesy of the agency.

After putting on some good music, he got to work.

_I'm a rollin' thunder, pouring rain_

_I'm coming on like a hurricane._

"Ok, let's see what you got" he said, introducing the chip in it. The computer made a strange sound, but managed to read the information.

"Bingo".

_My lightning's flashing across the sky_

_You're only young but you're gonna die_

The chip contained footage of explosions, wars, terrorism, and way more ways of violence. It also contained information on the DiMera family, especially of Chad and Thomas, followed by murder videos and photos. It had also information on wrestling and fight techniques, but a part of it had been damaged, hence the lack of skills Will had shown during the time he was attacking Chad.

In fact, most of the information wasn't complete, which made the chip highly dangerous for whoever had it, not to mention easy to defeat.

"Novice error" Malcolm smirked.

_I won't take no prisoners, won't spare no lives_

_Nobody's putting up a fight_

Then, he got to the primary information of the chip. It had been activated long distance by remote control, but the signal had been lost after only a few seconds. Malcolm figured the remote control must had been destroyed shortly after.

"Alright, let's see where this came from" he decided, digging a little more. "13201 Glen Oaks Drive..."

He trailed off. He knew the address.

_I got my bell, I'm gonna take you to hell_

_I'm gonna get you, Satan get you_

"Oh, Victor Kiriakis" he murmured. "You're a dead man".

_Hell's bells!_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song featured is Hells Bells by AC/DC.


	35. Chapter 35

_Percy Ruggles walked through the dark hallway, escorted by a guard. He looked around as they moved forward. The walls were dirty, and many messages had been written on them in Greek. For he understood quite well the language, Ruggles could actually read some of them._

_**"Revolution!"** _

_**"Death to the traitors!"** _

_**"Athens will fall!"** _

_**"Death to the Government!"** _

"Good Lord"  _he thought, horrified._ "Where am I?"

_"He is in here" said the guard in a deep Greek accent, as if he could barely speak in English._

_They had stopped in front of a cell which had rusty bars and the insides couldn't be seen for the hallway didn't have any light except small skylights on top of the high walls._

_Ruggles approached the bars, and flinched when he felt some movement around his feet. He looked down and managed to see a small rat that, as soon as it looked at him, ran away._

_The guard chuckled and left Ruggles alone in front of the dark cell._

_"Finally" said a voice, making him wince again. "I thought he'd never leave"._

_Ruggles stepped away slightly, and Deimos's emaciated evil face appeared between the bars of the cell._

_"Ah, Mr Kiriakis" Ruggles exhaled in relief. "It is you. For a minute I honestly believed I had been delivered to the wrong cell"._

_"I see why" said Deimos. "I understand you're here with news. I hope they're good. Is it done?"_

_"Yes, sir, it is done, very well done" he replied._

_"Where's the boy?"_

_"In a locked room in the castle"._

_"And our man?"_

_"Already in Salem, doing his duty"._

_"And no one suspects a thing?"_

_"Certainly not, Mr Kiriakis. It was all done with the biggest discretion. No one will ever know of the switch"._

_Deimos nodded. "Then good job, Percy. I'm sure you also supervised the procedures that came after, didn't you?"_

_"Indeed, sir" said Ruggles. "I did supervise the surgery. It went just as planned"._

_"Was the chip implanted correctly?"_

_"Yes, sir. Very well put inside his head"._

_"Excellent" said Deimos, exhaling satisfied._

_"May I ask, sir" said Ruggles. "Where did your magnificent idea originate?"_

_Deimos smirked. "Oh, it actually came from a man in Salem. Mr Stefano DiMera"._

_"Oh, I heard the name" Ruggles said, bitterly. "He's responsible for many tragic events in that town"._

_"The man is a genius!" Deimos exclaimed. "He had, years ago, something like this done, and it was a success. Before I landed in this hellhole, I started working on my own mental control chip"._

_"So you were planning to experiment with the boy?"_

_"We gotta keep him busy, right? But if you really need to know, the switch was made to hurt my brother. You see, he's the reason I'm here"._

_Ruggles narrowed his eyes. "I have read all about Victor Kiriakis. The man is untouchable. At least, every attack against him has very little effect. I doubt this doppelganger will do any harm"._

_"My man will not hurt him directly" said Deimos. "He will go after a person Victor loves very much"._

_"His wife?"_

_"His nephew"._

_"Oh, the nice young man who was with him and that precious little girl!"_

_"Sure, sure"._

_"So the harm will be done by making him suffer because a loved one is suffering"._

_"Exactly"._

_"That's brilliant, sir!"_

_"I know" said Deimos with a smirk. "Now, you must go back to Salem, and stick around for a bit so you don't lift any suspicions"._

_"I will, sir" said Ruggles. "Right after a quick visit to my house. There's a man there that requires my care. Poor soul, he had fallen to the river and hit his head. But my eyes see beyond, I know he was pushed in an attempt of murder. It's actually something very common in nature, sir. Instead of getting the claws dirty, some species let their prey fall to its death"._

_"Delightful" said Deimos. "Now, get back to work. My sentence will soon be up. I will join you when I'm free"._

_"I will be expecting your call, sir" said Ruggles, turning around and motioning to leave. However, he turned to Deimos once again. "I just wonder, sir, whatever do you need the boy with the chip for?"_

_Deimos smirked again, and let out a chuckle. "The first Kiriakis soldier. DiMera will never see it coming"._

* * *

"Who would have thought a heart attack and surgery on the head have the same time of recovery" Chad commented as he laced his shoes, sitting on the hospital bed next to Will.

"I'm pretty sure they made us stay longer than expected just so we could leave together" Will chuckled, buttoning his shirt. "I'm pretty sure my Aunt Kayla figured you wouldn't leave me alone anyway".

"After all the crap that's been done to you only this week? Hell no".

"I'm just glad it's all over now. I can finally get my stuff in order and start from scratch".

"There's an available office in the Mansion" Chad said. "If you're still interested in a Literature career you can use it. It's full of good books you can use for research and stuff".

Will smiled. "Thanks. I have some ideas. I had a lot of time to think while I was there".

"I'll put you in contact with some editors and that" said Chad. "This is so great, you're officially back on track".

"I know, right?"

The door of the room opened, and Gabi entered with a "Get well" balloon in a hand and Ari's hand in the other.

"Hey!" she greeted

"Oh hi!" Will said, receiving Ari's hug.

"Hi, Daddy!" she exclaimed.

"Hi, my sweet baby!" Will greeted happily. "You just made Daddy's day better!"

"Hey!" Chad complained.

"Oh, you know what I mean" Will laughed.

"I'm so glad hou guys are getting out of here" said Gabi, looking at Will. "I, um, kinda wanted to talk to you".

Will frowned. "About what?"

Gabi grimaced. "A certain guy who can't seem to get you out of his head".

As Will nodded, getting the hint, Chad approached, and took Ari from Will's arms. "Alright, princess, you and Uncle Chad are spending some time outside while Mommy and Daddy talk, alright?"

"Don't worry, I'll be with you in a short while" Will said.

As soon as they were out, Will sat on the bed and crossed his arms. "Ok, what's with Sonny now?"

"Not him, you" said Gabi.

"Me?"

"Yeah".

"Ok, what's with me?"

"I know you need time to heal and probably see yourself in a complicated situation when it comes to your relationship with Sonny" she said. "But for Ari's sake, you gotta decide at least whether you hate him or love him or care about him, I don't know".

"I will always care about Sonny, and maybe I still love him with the same passion I had four years ago, but that's for me to find out, at my own pace" said Will. "And what does Ari have to do with anything? If I remember correctly, we agreed that if we ever had an argument, we would never use her for our own benefit. No, we would never use her  _at all_ ".

"It's not that. In her mind, you two are still her dads. Now, I don't wanna break her heart but if you and Sonny aren't going to be together then we gotta be honest with her".

"But what can we say when I haven't figured it out yet?" Will said. "I could easily go and tell her 'that man is not your dad anymore' and then find out I still love him, or say 'we re your dads' and then see what a mistake I made. That will only confuse her".

"That doesn't necessarily have to happen" said Gabi. "You're just putting yourself in the worst scenario".

"I have to, don't I?" he replied. "Look, when Ari was born, I vowed she would never have the broken home I grew up with. Now, I may have failed when we still had to have custody agreements and when I was taken and my double was murdered, but I'm going to make it right".

"Will..."

" _We_ are going to make this right" he said firmly. "For our daughter, ok? She's the most important thing in our lives and I will  _not_ make a decision if I'm not sure of what comes next. I'll handle Sonny. If he wants to keep being in her life then he's more than welcome, but I'm not putting up with more people demanding things from me".

"Demanding things?"

"Exactly. I love Arianna with my whole heart, I do. That's why I'll take my time and make sure that I choose the right thing. But no one gets to tell me to hurry things. Make sure Sonny knows this too. Got it?"

Gabi nodded. "Ok. I'm sorry".

Will sighed. "I get Ari still thinks she has two dads. Maybe that doesn't have to change, whether I'm with Sonny or not. I don't know. I wanna wait, see what happens".

"Ok, I understand" she replied.

"Would you bring Ari again, please?"

Gabi opened the door, and Chad entered with Arianna again. "Sorry we couldn't run today, sweetie, but we're not supposed to, this is a hospital".

"Not to mention" said Will, picking her up. "Your uncle Chad can't get too tired for now".

Ari pouted, but nodded and clung onto Will's neck.

"I think you guys are ready to go" said Gabi.

"Yeah, we're just waiting for Abby and Thomas" said Chad. "That and for Kayla to bring our release papers".

"It shouldn't take long" said Will, and turned to Ari. "And you and I are going to have the greatest time later, ok?"

Ari nodded eagerly, and Gabi smiled at them.

* * *

Malcolm had tossed his rifles on his sofa, trying to choose the one that would make him look more dangerous. He was going to go grill a powerful crimelord after all.

He wasn't kidding this time. If he had to shoot, he would. This was the last time a member of his family was attacked by that old Greek son of a bitch.

"This one maybe, but this one's better" he muttered trying to decide, when some knock were heard on the door. "Dammit, I'm busy, get lost!"

"It's me" said Sami on the other side of the door.

Malcolm sighed, tossed a gun on his other weapons and covered them. Then, he opened the door. "Yes?"

"Hey, Malcolm" said Sami, with EJ behind her. "Mind if we come in?"

"Must be important" he replied suspiciously, but let them in anyway, making sure to block their way to the sofa where he had hidden his rifles.

"It is, actually" said EJ. "It's about the control chip William had implanted on his brain".

"What about it?"

"Malcolm, you must understand, this is not Father's doing".

Malcolm raised an eyebrow. "Oh, I know".

"You do?" Sami asked, as Malcolm gave them glasses with water. "How do you know it wasn't him?".

"Because I know the real culprit" he replied, and drank his own water.

Sami and EJ shared a glance, and she became exasperated when Malcolm didn't say anything else. "Well?"

Malcolm stared at her. "Well what?"

"Are you going to tell us who was it?"

Malcolm shook his head. "Hell no".

Sami's eyes widened and opened her mouth to argue, but EJ beat her. "And why is it that you won't tell us?"

"Well, for starters, you guys are DiMeras" he replied. "I simply don't trust the way you handle this kind of situations". He looked at Sami. "Especially some more than others".

"Excuse me?" Sami said, indignantly. "What's with me?"

"Sami, don't get me wrong, I like you and I think you're one cool lady" Malcolm said. "But I've been in this town for not too long, but long enough to know how you... React to these problems".

"I don't care, I'm Will's mother and I have a right to know!"

"This is precisely what I'm talking about" he said. "Now, I gotta deal with this guy before it's too late".

"Too late?" EJ asked.

"The guy's smart" Malcolm shrugged. "I gotta attack when he least expects it".

"Well, if you are going to confront him and he's so resourseful, then you must let us come along".

"You handle weapons?"

"I can".

"I have handled guns myself" said Sami.

Malcolm narrowed his eyes. "Ok".

He went to his sofa, and uncovered his rifles, making Sami gasp. He took one and went to the door. "Choose one you like".

EJ and Sami approached the sofa. EJ took one of the rifles, and noticed they had a lock and a security code that prevented his from pulling the trigger or take out the cartridge.

"It is locked" he said to Sami as they both examined the rifles. "Hey, Malcolm, what's the combination..."

He was interrupted by the sound of the door closing, followed by a click. The couple turned to it. Malcolm was gone.

"Oh, that little...!" EJ cursed and went to open the door. He couldn't. "What the hell?"

"You can lock this from outside?" Sami asked, disbelievingly.

"Malcolm! Malcolm!"

Outside, ignoring Sami and EJ's calls, Malcolm unlocked his rifle and prepared his gun.

"Sorry guys" he muttered, as he left. "But I'm working solo".

Inside the apartment, EJ and Sami tried unsuccesfully to get out.

"Dammit Malcolm!" said Sami.

EJ suddenly got an idea. "The window is open. Come on!"

They went to the window, and EJ got out first, helping Sami to get out after him. After all, Malcolm and Sami's apartments were on the first floor of the building.

"Such a gentleman" she grinned when she was out.

EJ closed the window and they ran to the street, only to see Malcolm's car rush down the street.

"We gotta follow him!" Sami exclaimed.

EJ took her to their car and raced down the street too, trying to follow Malcolm.

* * *

The door of the hospital room opened, and Lucas, Abigail and Thomas entered, followed by Kayla. She made her way in front of them, facing Chad and Will.

"Your release forms have been signed" she announced. "You two are free to go".

"Thank you, Aunt Kayla" said Will, who had Ari on his arms.

She just nodded and pointed to the bed. "I just hope I don't see you in one of those anytime soon, ok?"

He chuckled. "Ok".

Once she left, Lucas approached them. "So, you guys ready to go?"

"We most certainly are" said Chad, picking up Thomas.

"Oh look at you two" said Abby. "You're holding your kids, I must take a picture".

Both shared a glance. "We're not sure..."

"Smile!"

They smiled and Abby took the photo. "Oh, it's perfect!"

"I would rather a more conventional background like a garden or the park instead of a hospital room" said Chad.

"Fine, I'll take it again".

"I think you two have a similar photo holding pumpkins in Halloween" said Lucas. "You could put it next to this one, years later, holding your kids. Like a before/after picture!"

"That's a great idea!" Abby said.

"Right" said Chad. "Can we leave now?"

"Oh, wait" said Will. "Wasn't Mom going to join us?"

Lucas frowned and checked his watch. "Huh, you're right. She should be here by now".

"She must have gotten stuck in traffic or something" Chad suggested.

"She would have called" said Will.

"If you wanna wait for her, that's ok, we can stay with you" said Abby.

"Thanks" he said. "It's weird, though. I wonder if something happened..."

As in cue, Lucas's phone rang. "It's Sami, hold on".

He picked up. "Sami, where are you? You're supposed to be in the hospital with me to pick up Will!"

 _"I know!"_ Sami said on the other side of the line.  _"I'm sorry but I won't make it"._

"Why not?"

_"Because this is too good to let go!"_

"Too good, what are you talking about?"

_"Can we do this later? I, uh, have something to do"._

Lucas narrowed his eyes.  _"Sami, I can hear the street noises, you're in a car! Where the hell are you going?"_

_"I'm trying to reach Malcolm"._

"You and Malcolm live in the same building, don't lie to me!"

_"No, you idiot! I was at Malcolm's a few minutes ago with EJ, because I wanted to know how his investigation was going and EJ wanted to clear Stefano from any suspicion, but Malcolm was acting strange, like, with secrecy"._

"Malcolm always acts with secrecy, it's his job, remember?"

_"Yes, but this time it was bigger, he didn't want us to know something he knows. He in fact told us that"._

"And what could he possibly be hiding from you? Let me know your 'suspicions' if you don't mind".

Sami sighed.  _"It's not a suspicion. Malcolm knows who's responsible for activating the chip that made Will go crazy and he refuses to tell who it was"._

Lucas was speechless.  _"What?"_

_"That's right. EJ and I are following him. If Malcolm gets answers from whoever it was, I'm hearing them"._

"Sami, are you insane? This guy could be dangerous, he will kill you the secong he sees you! Let Malcolm handle things, geez!"

_"Oh, you believe in your eighteen year-old son but not me?"_

"He's well trained for this kind of situations, Sami".

Sami remained silent for a second or two.  _"I'm sorry Lucas. But I'm Will's mother. I'm getting those answers"._

Before Lucas could argue more, she hung up.

"Dammit, Sami" he hissed, and turned around. Everyone was staring at him.

Will scoffed. "Ok, what has Mom gotten herself into this time and what does Malcolm have to do with it?".

Lucas played nervously with his phone. "Malcolm has found out who's behind the chip in your brain being activated... And your mom just so happens to know as well".

"She knows who was it?" Chad asked.

"No, she just knows that Malcolm knows. But she doesn't know what".

"Let me guess" said Will. "She's following him and will most likely put Malcolm's operation at risk".

"Well, she's not alone" his dad replied. "She's with EJ".

"Ok, at least we know things are gonna be a little more under control" said Chad.

"Yeah, unless she acts impulsively and gets everyone killed" Will said. "I'll be writing my eulogy for her".

He got out of the room with Ari in his arms.

"What's an eulogy?" they heard her ask.

Gabi approached Lucas. "I, um, we should try to make him relax a bit. He's been through so much stress".

"Yeah, yeah" he replied.

"Do you think we should intervene?" Abby asked to Chad.

Chad shrugged. "If Malcolm didn't come to us then he clearly doesn't want us involved. It must be pretty juicy what he knows. We should know better than to mind his business".

"Why?"

Chad smiled at her. "Darling, I'm not planning on getting shot for the fourth time".

Abby chuckled. "I just hope they are ok".

* * *

"So, any progress with Will?" Victor asked as he sat on the couch.

Sonny shook his head. "He's not sure. He wants to take things slow, and I agreed".

Victor nodded. "You know, I was wrong".

"About what?"

"Will" he replied. "I wasn't fair. He's a good kid. Who poisoned our minds against his name was the geezer who took his life and fooled us all".

Sonny nodded, and sat with him on the couch. "Well, I'm glad you finally got some perspective".

"That doesn't mean I'm letting my guard down" Victor added. "Especially with that brother of his, Malcolm Horton. I know you can't stand him either so you don't get to disagree with me".

"Someone mentioned my name?" said Malcolm as he entered the living room, rifle in hand, making them turn to him.

"How the hell did you get in here?" Sonny demanded.

Malcolm shrugged. "I was... Let in".

Victor narrowed his eyes. "What have you done to Henderson?"

"I... May have knocked him unconcious".

"What?"

"He's ok, I promise" Malcolm defended. "He just wouldn't let me in!"

"I'll go check on him" said Sonny, motioning to go to the foyer.

"Actually, Jackson, I think you'd like to stay" said Malcolm, blocking his way with the rifle. "I believe you'll find our conversation very interesting".

"This is outrageous!" Victor exclaimed, angry. "You barge into my home unannounced, you attack my butler and you come in here, making accusations and pointing at us with that thing!"

"Hey, I'm just doing my job here" said Malcolm. "And just so you know, I haven't made any accusations yet".

"You are as idiotic as everyone else who has tried to blame anything on me" he said. He snapped his fingers and two men appeared from behind Malcolm, grabbing him.

"Hey!" he complained.

"Get him out of here" Victor ordered. "And confiscate the weapon".

"Hey, this rifle is property of the CIA".

"Yes? I don't care. You should have thought of that before you decided to break into my house".

"Victor, I'm warning you, you're gonna regret this".

"I don't see how".

"You're the one who's at fault here!"

"Get him out!"

"No, wait, let him go" Sonny intervened. The men obeyed.

Malcolm regained his posture. "At once, you finally act intelligently, Jackson".

"Sonny, stay out of this" said Victor.

"No, Uncle Vic, I want to know what he's got to say" said Sonny, and turned to Malcolm. "Why did you say I'd find this conversation interesting?"

Malcolm raised an eyebrow. "Because the main topic is your favorite: my brother Will Horton".

* * *

Chad leaned on the doorframe of the office he had given to Will. His friend was sitting in the desk, with a piece of paper in front of him.

"I didn't think you were talking seriously when you said you'd write an eulogy".

"I can't think of anything good to say about my mom" Will replied.

Chad let out a tiny chuckle, and entered the office. He took the paper and put it in the drawer. Will didn't complain. "If there wasn't anything good about Sami, no one would tolerate her. Not even EJ, and he married her, so there's definitely... Something".

"Or maybe I didn't mean what I said" he argued.

"You just had brain surgery. I'm pretty sure you get tired of thinking. Or aren't thinking at all".

"Kinda hurts" Will pouted.

"I hate to admit this, but Sonny was right" Chad said, putting his hand on top of Will's head. "You  _are_ kind of a dork".

"Shut up" Will laughed, and his friend laughed with him. "I hate you, get out".

"You love me because I cheer you up" Chad declared. "In a parallel universe, you and I are married and our children are siblings".

"Ew, no!"

Chad smirked. "Uh huh, tell you eighteen year-old self that".

"Stop teasing me!" Will said, trying to be annoyed. He couldn't be. Chad  _did_ cheer him up.

"Try to relax a bit" said his friend. "Have some faith in your mother".

"Easy for you to say".

"Then have some faith in EJ or Malcolm. But I believe Sami's smart enough not to leave you motherless". Chad rubbed gently Will's hair. "And you rest. That pretty blond head of yours can't go to waste".

He went to the door.

"Chad?"

Chad turned around.

"Thanks".

"What else am I here for?" he smiled, and motioned to leave.

"Chad?"

Chad turned around again.

"About that parallel universe" Will said. "If you and I are together, where does that leave Abigail, the greatest love of your life?"

Chad put his thinking face. "She  _is_ the greatest love of my life. But, if there's a 'you and I' in that dimension, I like to imagine she's doing it with Gabi".

He whistled. "So hot".

Will chuckled. "And you say I'm the dork".

* * *

"Ok" said Sonny, looking at Malcolm suspiciously. "What about Will?"

Malcolm turned to Victor. "You wanna tell him or I do?"

"Me?" Victor asked. "I haven't even seen him since he came back!"

"You didn't have to" said Malcolm. "You see, Jackson, the chip Will had on his head was activated long distance by remote control".

Sonny frowned. "Ok?"

"I got the chip from Dr Brady to investigate more about its background" he continued. "The chip had been created by Deimos".

"Deimos?" Victor said. "That's impossible. The master in mind control is Stefano DiMera!".

"Oh, I agree" he replied. "But it couldn't be Stefano the one who did this because this chip had been poorly configured. It had damages that altered the effects on the person who wore it".

"Are you saying Deimos was experimenting with him?" Sonny asked.

"Yeah, you could say that".

"And what do I have to do with anything?" Victor demanded.

"You, you..."

Malcolm was interrupted by the sound of the door opening abruptly, and Sami and EJ entered the room. The men who had grabbed Malcolm looked at Victor, awaiting orders.

"Malcolm" said Sami. "What are we doing here?"

"What are  _you_ doing here?" Malcolm asked, surprised. "I locked you in my apartment!".

"The window was open" EJ said.

Malcolm thought for a moment. He  _had_  left it open. "Dammit".

"What's going on here?" Sonny asked.

"Nothing, everyone's leaving" said Victor, turning to his men. "Get these intruders out of my house, now!"

"No one is going anywhere!" Malcolm said, not letting the men do as they were told. "Not until I do what I came here to do".

"Malcolm, you said you knew who activated Will's chip, what the hell are we doing in the Kiriakis Mansion?" Sami demanded.

EJ looked at Victor, and exhaled knowingly. "Of course".

"That's right" said Malcolm. "Deimos created the chip, but Victor Kiriakis activated it".

Victor looked at everyone, preparing his defense. Sonny looked at his uncle, his face showing a mix of anger, fear and disbelief. Sami was ready to kill, EJ was ready to stop her and Malcolm just smirked.


	36. Chapter 36

"I did what?" Victor said.

"You heard me" said Malcolm. "You activated the chip".

"I did no such thing" he defended.

"Uncle Victor, what is he talking about?" Sonny demanded.

"Yes, Victor, what is he talking about?" Sami said, ready to jump on him.

"I have no idea! I don't know what this nonsense is about!" Victor swore.

"The hell you don't" said Malcolm. "The chip was activated long distance by remote control. When it was taken from Will's skull, I took it home and checked it out. The signal came from here".

"Signal?"

"Yes, the signal!"

"Oh, that's it, you're dead!" Sami exclaimed, charging at Victor, but EJ managed to grab her from the waist, stopping her.

"Dammit, Samantha!" he hissed.

"This is nonsense! I did nothing to Will Horton!" Victor insisted. "I would never do that to my nephew!"

"Not everything is about Jackson, Victor" said Malcolm.

"Will is also my wife's nephew!"

" _I_ am also your wife's nephew and that didn't stop you from plotting to kill me with Deimos not too long ago. In fact, I believe that plan is still in motion".

"Let me go, now!" Sami ordered, struggling with EJ's grip.

"So, with that in mind, if you don't have any problem attacking Malcolm, then you don't have any problem attacking William" said EJ.

Victor stood up.

"Haven't you done enough harm over the last few years?" Malcolm said. "Your war is with the DiMeras, not the Bradys nor the Hortons. And this time your favorite nephew is part of the collateral damage".

"Loyalty is a very big deal to my family" said Victor. "I would never do anything that meant any harm to Sonny or anyone in my family in any way".

"Perhaps on purpose" he replied. "But eventually you do".

"I don't owe explanations to anyone! For all I care you can go to hell!"

"And what about me?" Sonny said, stepping up.

"What about you?"

"Don't you think you owe  _me_ an explanation?"

"Sonny, this has nothing to do with you".

"He's right, Jackson" said Malcolm. "This isn't your business".

"You mentioned Will. That made it my business" said Sonny.

Malcolm rolled his eyes.

"Start talking, Kiriakis" Sami demanded. "Or I swear..."

"What, what are you going to do?" Victor said. "You can't even break free from your husband's grip".

"Dammit, EJ, let me go!" she insisted, struggling again.

"Malcolm, you said the signal came from here" said Sonny. "So if that's true, we'll find the remote control here".

"Yeah" he replied. "That's not gonna happen".

"Why not?" asked EJ.

Malcolm shrugged. "The remote control is no more".

Victor narrowed his eyes. "How convenient".

"What do you mean it's no more?" asked Sami.

"The chip's memory detailed having received the signal of the remote control from here and being activated by it" Malcolm explained. "But then, it disappeared. My only explanation for this is that it was destroyed".

"Then my uncle is right" said Sonny, crossing his arms. "This is very convenient. If you're trying to nail him for something he didn't do..."

"Oh, but he did" he replied, turning to Victor. "That face of yours says it all. You took the remote control, activated the chip and destroyed it to cover your ass!".

"How many times do I have to say it, I didn't do a damn thing!" Victor yelled.

"You aren't reliable, Victor" said Sami. "Admit it. You've been working with Deimos all along".

"It's true, I did. On his last months! I never did anything to harm Will Horton, who by the way I thought was dead. And if I ever did, I had no knowledge of what I was doing".

Malcolm scoffed. "Oh please. What are you gonna tell me now, that you just happened to find a small device, pressed the button to see what it did and when nothing happened you just destroyed it and threw it out?"

Victor frowned.

He remembered something quite strange.

_Victor walked around the room, watching how everything was put on bags and boxes._

_He opened a nightstand, and on top of some papers that looked somewhat important was a strange, little device._

_Victor frowned, and picked it up. It was some sort of a remote control. It was square shaped, with a big, red round button on it and had a small antenna._

_"Hm" he murmured. "Now what would this thing do?"_

_He pressed the button. Nothing happened._

_"Huh" he said. "How disappointing"._

_He tossed the control to the floor and smashed it with his foot._

_"Useless thing" he mumbled, getting out of the room._

"That's exactly what happened" he muttered, horrified.

Malcolm stared at him. "You can't use that! I said that!"

"It's the truth! I found a strange little device, pressed the button on it, and when nothing happened, I smashed it with my foot and threw the thing out!"

"Victor, I'm not gonna believe that, I just made that up!"

"Wow, Victor Kiriakis is  _not_ having a good day" said Sami sardonically. "You must be really desperate".

"Samantha" EJ warned. He adressed Malcolm. "Look, we only waste time and energy in this argument. You will not accomplish anything if he keeps denying your accusations, even though now we all know that he indeed activated the chip".

Malcolm stared at EJ as if he had gotten crazy. "But..."

"I'd listen to him" said Victor. "The remote control is gone, you have nothing on me. You might as well get the hell out of my house".

Malcolm glared at him. "I have the chip information".

"It won't stand" he replied with a smirk. "Anyone in this mansion could have done it".

Sami tried to charge at him again, but was stopped by EJ. "You son of a bitch".

"Get the hell out" he ordered.

"Come on" said EJ. "Let's go".

Sami had literally to be dragged by him, for she kept trying to attack Victor any chance she got.

Malcolm glared at Victor before leaving with them. "This isn't over".

Once they were out, Victor turned to Sonny, who looked at him like he was the most horrible thing on Earth. He sighed. "You don't believe me, do you?"

"Right now" he replied. "I don't know what to believe. In fact I don't want to believe in anything".

"You must choose your side. You're a smart boy, you know where your loyalty stands".

"I know" Sonny said, as he walked towards him, ending face to face with his uncle. "But I swear to you, if you indeed had anything to do with Will's ordeal... I'm done. I'm done with this family".

* * *

Once EJ, Sami and Malcolm closed the door of the Mansion behind them, Malcolm turned to them.

"You shouldn't have followed me. You ruined everything!"

"We?" said Sami. "You wouldn't share with us what you knew! And then you go and try to lock us in your apartment".

"And next time I'll make sure everything is closed!"

"This is not helping the situation!" EJ exclaimed, exasperated.

"There's no situation anymore" said Malcolm. "Now, I have to think of something else to nail that bastard".

"How come you are so sure Victor did this?" asked EJ. "He was right, anyone could have done it".

"Well for starters he just admitted it" said Malcolm.

"Didn't you hear him?" asked Sami.

"I was too busy stopping you from punching him to hear anything" he replied before turning to Malcolm. "Why else?"

"Why would anyone try to hurt Will? They all hated Deimos's guts. Maggie Kiriakis is our aunt. Brady Black is family, and a little dumb in my opinion. Justin and Adrienne Kiriakis are two big hypocrites, but wouldn't do anything to upset their golden boy. And Jackson, that's out of question. That leaves us with only one suspect".

"Of course" said EJ. "So you would have gotten the answer anyway".

"Yes" he replied.

The door opened, and Sonny got out, frowning when he saw them. "You're still here? Go, before my uncle sends his men".

"Victor does not unnerve me" said Malcolm. "What are you doing here?"

"I needed some air" he replied. "If everything you said is true, I don't think I'll be able to look at his face ever again".

"Oh, I'll leave him faceless, that's for sure" said Sami.

"Whatever, I just have to be out of here" he replied, and walked away as fast as he could.

"Wow" Sami said as she saw him leave. "He must have taken it hard".

"His uncle may have taken part in the kidnapping of the man he loves" said EJ. "I believe 'upset' is not enough description for his feelings right now".

"Can't blame him, though" Malcolm said.

EJ sighed. "We'll go too. Good luck Malcolm".

"Thank you" he replied. "I'll need it".

"And I'm sorry we screwed up your plan" said Sami.

He shrugged. "I would have probably been killed by his men hadn't you been there".

Sami smiled at him, and left with EJ.

Malcolm waited until they were gone, and took out his phone. He smirked as he pressed a button.

_"Oh please. What are you gonna tell me now, that you just happened to find a small device, pressed the button to see what it did and when nothing happened you just destroyed it and threw it out?"_

_"That's exactly what happened"_

_"You can't use that! I said that!"_

_"It's the truth! I found a strange little device, pressed the button on it, and when nothing happened, I smashed it with my foot and threw the thing out!"_

"Won't stand my ass" he muttered. He slowly walked to the fence, and went to his car.

"This may not be enough" he acknowledged. "But it's a start".

* * *

Chad and Will were playing chess in the living room, as their kids watched. They were actually so bored they found the match quite interesting, even though they were too little to even understand what chess was about.

Will took a piece, ready to move it. But Chad raised an eyebrow. "You sure you wanna move that one?"

"Why?" he asked.

"You move it, your King's dead".

Will looked at the board. "Oh right".

"Something bothering you?"

"I think I can't think very well. Kinda makes sense, I just had surgery in the head".

"You think you can't think?"

Will chuckled, and moved a pawn. "See?"

"But if you think you can't think then you're thinking" said Ari, frowning at her own sentence.

"That's right" said Chad, moving a knight and capturing one of Will's bishops. "And your uncle Chad will use that to his advantage".

Will stared at the board, then at Chad, then at Ari, then at Thomas (who had no idea of what was going on yet he still observed the match), and then at the board again. He moved his Queen and captured Chad's knight. "Checkmate".

"What?" his friend said, perplexed. "That's impossible".

He looked at the board and checked if there was any way he could save his King. There wasn't. "Oh, dammit".

"Yay!" Ari cheered, as Thomas also cheered, even if he didn't know exactly why.

Chad pouted at his son. "Traitor".

Thomas, still grinning hugged his dad's leg, and Chad picked him up and sat him on his lap.

"Father taught you well" he said to Will. "But I'll have my revenge".

"We've got plenty of time for all the matches we want" he replied. "No, wait.  _I_ have plenty of time.  _You_ have a business to run".

Chad waved his hand dismissively. "I'm on a leave of absence, remember? I still got a few days off".

"Oh, really?" Will said with an evil grin. "So you wanna have another match?"

Chad put Thomas on the floor and went to the window. Night was just falling.

"I don't know" he said, as Thomas went to join Ari. "The kids will get bored and it's almost their bedtime".

"What's the matter, Chad?" Will teased. "Scared a little Horton will kick your DiMera butt?"

Chad stared at him. "Oh, it's on!"

He went to join him and they started putting the pieces back on place. Only, the bell rang.

"What?" said Will, standing up. "Who might that be?"

Chad left the children on the big playpen he had just bought (which was bigger than the previous one, Will and Abby had decided their kids would share it) and, followed by Will, went to open the door.

Sonny was outside.

* * *

Right after leaving Will, Chad and the kids in the Mansion, Abigail and Gabi had gone shopping. It had become something usual that they did, but if they were honest, they spent more time just looking than actually buying stuff. That was pretty much why neither were having arguments in their homes about money. Not that much, at least.

"Didn't we go out and did this just a few days ago?" Gabi asked.

"So? That day we bought a lot. Now we only got this" Abby replied, lifting her hand to show her friend her ice cream.

"Ok, true" she replied. "Of course we should-Oh my God, look at that!"

She quickly went to a window to admire a handbag. Although in Gabi's mind, it wasn't just a handbag. It was  _the_ handbag.

"That thing is mine" she declared.

"Gabi that's got to cost like a million bucks" said Abigail, approaching the window. "And it looks really banal. I mean, look at it, with those golden lines, and its texture, leather by the way, and... Those pretty little stones and... That brooch..."

She trailed off as she got more and more enraptured by its beauty.

"Gabi?"

"Yes?".

"If you don't buy it, I swear to God I will".

"Done" she said, and both girls entered the store, pushing some woman aside in the process.

They rushed to the counter, where the woman in charge greeted them, with the fakest smile they had ever seen.

"Hello, we want to buy the pretty bag over there" Gabi said.

"Which one?" asked the woman of the fake smile. "You're going to have to bring it here. All handbags and other accessories for women are beautiful, everyone wants to purchase one".

Abby, quick as lightning, ran and picked the handbag, ran back to the counter and put it in front of the woman. "This one, please".

"Only one?" asked the woman.

"Yes, only one" said Gabi, taking out her old purse. "How much?"

"Four hundred" the woman replied, with the fake smile still in her face.

"Dollars?!"

"It's an original, and the newest".

"Ugh, whatever" she replied, looking for her money and taking out some bills. "Dammit! I only got 230!"

"Oh, let me see" said Abigail, looking in her own purse. "I got 70".

Gabi frowned. "Really?"

"Well, I got 50 more, but 30 are for Thomas's supplies and Will gave me 20 to get his medicines".

"Ugh, I can't believe this".

"Is there a problem?" the woman asked, still smiling.

"No, no" said Gabi, faking a laugh. "Um, listen, we're kind of regulars here, is there any chance we could get a tiny discount?"

The woman seemed to think about it, but turned to her again. "No".

"Oh, come on!" she pleaded.

"I'm sorry" said the woman, still smiling. "No money, no handbag".

"But..."

"No handbag" the woman emphasized, with her annoying smile never leaving her face. "Next, please".

Gabi scoffed and walked away from the counter with Abby, ignoring the glare of the other woman who had been behind her in the queue. "Ugh, that bitch, I swear".

"I know, did you see how she kept smiling?" said Abigail. "I really think somebody must have put superglue on her cheeks or something".

"She thinks she's so much better" Gabi said as she glared at the woman. She pulled up her sleeves. "I think I'll give her a piece of my mind, Statesville style".

"No, you won't" said Abby, pulling down Gabi's sleeves, taking out her phone and dialing someone. "I have a better idea".

"Who are you calling?"

"The only one who'll help us right away".

* * *

"Sonny" said Chad. "What do you want?"

Sonny hesitated. "I, uh..." He shook his head. "I just wanted to talk to Will... And you for that matter".

"Come in" said Will, ignoring the face Chad gave him.

"This better be good" Chad said, closing the door when Sonny came in.

As he went to greet Ari and Thomas, Chad approached Will.

"What do you think he wants now?" he asked in a low voice.

"I don't know" Will muttered. "He seems troubled though. Maybe something big has happened".

"Whatever, I just don't trust him when he's around you" Chad confessed. "He'll try to mess with your head and you don't need that".

"I can handle Sonny, I promise" he replied. "I know you just want to protect me, which I appreciate a lot, but I swear I can".

Chad nodded. "Like I said, this better be good".

Sonny approached them. "What are you two whispering about?"

"Nothing" Chad said, a little too quickly. When Sonny frowned, he crossed his arms. "You wanna talk? Talk".

Will got the kids out of the playpen and sent them to bed. They said their goodbyes and went upstairs, followed by him, so he could put them to bed.

When he returned, Sonny started. "Malcolm came to the Mansion earlier today. He had news. He..."

"Knew who activated the chip in my head" said Will.

"You knew?"

"We did" said Chad. "Thanks to Sami".

"Mom was supposed to come pick us up from the hospital" Will explained. "But she called my dad to say she couldn't. She and EJ were following Malcolm, but, apparently, Malcolm didn't want them to".

"That explains why they appeared and started bickering with him" Sonny mused. "Anyway, they know the perpetrator. In fact we all know him".

"Who was it?"

"My uncle Victor".

Will blinked a few times, and went to sit on the couch. "Man, I knew he hated me, but I didn't know he hated me that much".

"I can't say I'm surprised" said Chad. "The old man's been nothing but nasty. I'm so taking care of him..."

"No" said Sonny. "He claims he did but didn't know what he was doing".

"What?" Will said. "How's that even possible?"

Sonny sighed. "He says he found the remote control that activated the chip, and pressed the button to see what it did. When nothing happened, he destroyed it".

"Well, that's the stupidest thing I've ever heard" said Chad. "I don't buy that at all. And coming from Victor? Come on".

"I know, I know it doesn't sound convincing, and that my uncle is smarter than that" he said. "But I must give him the benefit of the doubt".

"Sonny, the only one who tolerated Deimos enough to work with him was Victor" said Will. "Malcolm said it himself. They even plotted together to kill him".

"I don't want to talk about Malcolm" Sonny said. "Look, I just wanted to tell you in person. You have a right to know".

"And you're also telling a DiMera" said Chad. "We at war, Sonny. What, you decided to change your loyalty?"

"My loyalty remains with my family" said Sonny. "But it will be forever gone if Victor did in fact try to control Will".

"So noble" Chad said sardonically as his phone rang. "I gotta take this".

He picked up his phone.

"Hello?"

 _"Heeeeey, Chad! How's the greatest husband in the world, the love of my life, my boo, my sweetheart?"_ Abby greeted cheerfully.

"Ok, we both know you never call me those things" Chad chuckled. "Where are you? Are you drunk or something?"

_"No! I'm with Gabi at the square. Look, we need your help"._

"Why? What happened, are you ok?"

_"I am. Listen, I got some money in my drawer, could you bring it to me, please?"_

"Uh" Chad hesitated, looking at Will and Sonny. "I'm kind of in the middle of something".

 _"Oh, please!"_ Abby begged.  _"It's an emergency! I'll make it worth your while"._

"Oh, really?"

 _"Yeah"_ she said in her own sexy voice.  _"You know, I've been thinking Thomas could get a little lonely, he could have a sibling..."_

"I'm there" said Chad, and hung up. He rushed upstairs, as Will and Sonny looked lost. He returned within a minute and turned to them. "Duty calls".

Will rolled his eyes when the door closed behind him.

"So much for protecting me" he muttered.

Sonny sat with him on the couch. "I'm sorry about my uncle".

Will shrugged. "I'd normally say it's ok. But we both know it's not".

"I just can't believe he'd do such a thing!" he exclaimed. "I don't want to believe he's done this on purpose, but if he did, he's dead to me".

"I lost four years of my life in that cell, thanks to his brother" said Will. "And if Victor's been working with him..."

"I can't, I just can't". Sonny said, shaking his head.

Will stood up, and spotted the bottles of scotch and vodka on a table nearby. "You want a drink?"

"The strongest" Sonny replied.

Will went to pour two glasses, and when he noted Sonny was muttering to himself, he took out a few beers.  _"Might as well have a few of these too"._

* * *

After Abby hung up, she turned to Gabi, who was shaking her head at her.

"I'm so disappointed" she said.

"What? Why?" Abby asked.

"You offered your husband sex in exchange of money?"

"So? It's not like the money is his?"

Gabi crossed her arms. "I do not like that you would throw yourself at him that way".

"Oh, trust me, I don't mind at all" she said, lifting her eyebrows multiple times.

Gabi made a face. "Oh my God, Abigail!"

Abby laughed while Gabi made gagging noises. "Oh come on, like you don't know..."

"Stop talking" she ordered. "Look, I just want to get back at that woman, purchase this and go home".

"That can be arranged" said Abby. "I'll pay half and you pay half. We'll share the handbag".

"Share it?"

"Yeah, we both like it, and we can buy this together. We're adults, I think we're both mature enough to share a handbag".

Gabi didn't look too convinced, but gave in. "Ok, fine".

The woman of the fake smile looked at them and waved. Then, she returned to the customer she was attending. Gabi clenched her fists. "It's like she wants me to get that grin off her face".

"Calm down" Abby said. "Chad will be here any minute".

As in cue, Chad walked into the store.

Gabi stared at him blankly. "That was impossibly fast".

"I drove here" he said, taking out some money from his pocket and giving it to Abby. "So what's the big emergency?"

"This" said Abby, and showed him the handbag.

Chad stared at it. "Are you kidding?"

"Hey, in the female world, not being able to buy this is enough reason for a meltdown or a stroke" Gabi said.

Chad frowned. "What?"

Abby sighed. "Let's just go pay for this".

She and Gabi went to the counter. The woman gave them the same fake smile.

 _"What's her deal?"_ Gabi thought. "Hi, we will buy this".

"Sure" said the woman. "Four hundred, please".

"Here you go" said Abigail, joining her money with Gabi's and giving it to her.

The woman put the handbag in a plastic bag. "So nice of your sugar daddy to come and help".

"Excuse me?" Abby said, indignant.

"Oh, he's some piece of meat, let me tell you" she said, still smiling. "I bet he must have been pretty desperate".

Abby's eyes widened with fury as Chad, having overheard, frowned.  _"Do I get flattered or mad?"_

The woman turned to Gabi. "Do you want to purchase anything else?"

"No" she replied coldly.

"Oh, that's a shame" the woman said, still smiling. "Some nice earrings will reduce the size of those ears".

Gabi gasped indignantly as Chad's mouth dropped open.  _"What a bitch!"_

"Oh, that's it, you're dead!" Gabi exclaimed, jumping over the counter and lunging for the woman, while Abby joined her and other people gasped. Chad managed to grab both girls by the waist and get them away from the woman before any damage could be done.

"Ok! Thank you, we're out" he said, making them get out of the store and glaring at the woman, whose smile never faded.

Once outside, Gabi stomped her foot multiple times as both Abigail and Chad stared. "I hate, hate, hate that bitch!"

"Should we say something?" Chad asked in low voice.

"Just that that woman is stupid and all the crap she said is not true" she replied, a little frightened by Gabi's freak out.

"Of course it isn't" he replied. "Gabi's ears aren't that big, I was certainly not desperate and you are the most beautiful woman in the world".

"Don't let Gabi hear you say that" she chuckled.

Gabi, breathing in and out, approached them. "I'm ok now".

"At least we got the handbag" said Abigail.

"Yeah" she said, and frowned. "I'm still kinda angry though".

"Me too".

"Maybe we're just hungry".

"I think I am" Abby said, grabbing Chad's hand. "Dear, where did you say you had that amazing dinner you had with your colleages?"

"Oh boy" he sighed. "This means we're not making a baby tonight, doesn't it?".

"Honey, your heart, remember" she said.

"I'll get the car" he deadpanned, and left.

Gabi and Abigail waited until he was out of earshot and burst in laughter.

* * *

Malcolm was sitting on his couch with the lights off, not doing anything, not saying anything. He just waited.

His watch marked 10 pm and he took his phone and dialed someone.

"Did you receive the recording I sent?" he said once his call was picked up. "What can you do with it? Good. Yes, I know he's too old for jail time. Ok, that works for me. Ok, I'll work into it".

He hung up and sighed.

He stood up and went to sleep.

* * *

The next day, Will woke up when knocks on the door of his bedroom were made. He sat on the bed and rubbed his eyes as Chad, wearing his underwear and an old T-shirt, opened the door.

"Hey" Will lazily greeted.

"Morning" he said. "How come you're not wearing anything?".

Will covered his chest. "It's been a hot night. You know, summer's just around the corner".

Chad nodded. "Yeah, I guess you're right. Anyway, I just wanted to tell you breakfast is almost ready. I can save some for you if you wanna eat later".

"Thanks" he replied. "I'll be down in a few".

Chad smiled at him and left, closing the door.

Will sighed and rubbed his face, just as Sonny, also naked, appeared from under the covers. "You think he knew I was here?"


	37. Chapter 37

_"My uncle is such a hypocrite!" Sonny exclaimed as he opened his fourth can of beer. "I hate it. He is always criticizing us for the people we choose to love and he has been with worse women!"_

_"I know!" Will exclaimed, a little too high. "That old bastard. All I did was come back from the dead and he's already seeing me as town's biggest screw-up!"_

_"Which you aren't" he said, after coughing. "He thinks he's so perfect and sooo above everyone else"._

_"He sooo does! I mean, he's certainly no saint. Nobody is!"_

_"I could think about a few names" Sonny said, looking at him._

_Will stared at him for a moment before finishing his beer (the third) and shaking his head. "No. No, no, no, stop it"._

_"Stop what?"_

_"Stop flirting with me!"_

_"What? I'm not flirting with you!" Sonny denied, drinking more scotch. "I mean, I am, but I'm not!"_

_Will frowned. "Does that make sense or am I too drunk to care?"_

_"I was just thinking about a few other people who were actually too good for this town!" Sonny said. "Like your great-grandparents Tom and Alice Horton, or, or your great-grandfather Shawn Brady, or you, or..."_

_"Me?"_

_"I don't know, I'm only flirting with you"._

_"Oh, ok"._

_"I just don't know why my uncle Victor has to be so unfair!"_

_Will made a face. "He's old. Old and nasty and old"._

_"Yeah, he's old" Sonny said bitterly, clanging his glass with Will's._

_"Here, here!" Will said._

_They drank a bit more, and Sonny got up. He staggered and almost fell._

_"Whoa, ok, I'm ok"._

_"You don't seem ok" said Will, also trying to get up and grabbing Sonny's arm, in order to help him. Only they lost their balances and fell to the floor._

_Sonny started to laugh, and Will followed. Their laughs slowed down, as their faces started getting closer..._

_"I should go" said Sonny, finally managing to get up, as Will did the same._

_"What, you're gonna leave me with all this mess?" Will said, pointing to the empty cans of beer and the two empty bottles of scotch. "Chad's gonna kill me if he finds out about this!"_

_"Oh, screw Chad!"_

_"Hey" said Will. "Help, now"._

_Sonny let out an overdramatic sigh before helping Will throw away everything they had used. "You're lucky you're cute"._

_"You used to say I was hot" Will muttered, smiling and blushing._

_Once the living room was left as if nothing had happened there, Sonny rubbed his hands. "Ok, I think I'll leave"._

_He turned to go, but collided with the couch, falling on it. He chuckled. "Ok, who put this thing here?"_

_Will got him up. "You're spending the night"._

_They went upstairs quite quickly._

_Sonny, as he walked into Will's bedroom, hesitated. "I don't think I should be here"._

_"Oh, come on, don't be silly" said Will, staggering towards him after closing the door. "I'm just letting my... Drunk friend stay over"._

_Before Sonny could answer, Will grabbed the collar of his shirt and pulled him into a deep kiss._

_Sonny put his hands on Will's cheeks, enjoying the moment for a while, until his eyes widened in shock and pulled away._

_"Whoa, did we just kissed? We just kissed, right? We kissed!" he stammered. "We're not supposed to do that"._

_"I know" Will said with a nervous shrug. "I just thought it'd be fun"._

_"We were supposed to take this slow"._

_"Do I look like I care?"_

_Sonny narrowed his eyes. "Just how drunk are you?"_

_"Drunk enough to know I wanna do this" he replied. "Not so drunk that you should feel guilty for taking advantage"._

_"That's the perfect amount!" Sonny exclaimed, and kissed him again._

_Will took off Sonny's shirt and Sonny took off his, and they fell to the bed while kissing passionately._

* * *

Will and Sonny sat together in the bed, awkwardly. Sonny looked like he was trying to process (or remember) the previous night, and Will played with his fingers nervously, not knowing what to say. Not to mention both had a killer hangover.

"Well" Will finally said after a few minutes of silence. "I haven't done that with you in a while".

Sonny nodded. "A long while".

"Is it safe to say there's a big chance we might have ruined our relationship for good?"

"Maybe" Sonny replied. He turned to face Will. "But that depends on how we feel about it. I know I liked it".

"Why wouldn't you?" Will said with weak irony. "I liked it too. Why wouldn't I?"

"But?"

Will sighed. "I don't know. Did we make a mistake last night?"

Sonny touched Will's chin, making him look at him. "Do you feel alright?"

"I do".

"Then I don't think last night was a mistake".

"You haven't been struggling with all this situation like I have".

"Why are you so conflicted?"

Will turned to him.

"I just want to help you" said Sonny.

"Everything's been so complicated ever since I came back" he said. "Chad's been in the hospital twice, I've been mentally controlled..."

"You had nothing to do with all those things".

"But..."

"No but" said Sonny. "Look, you're still coping with what happened to you. I shouldn't have come or taken advantage of your vulnerability, even if you said it was ok".

"No" said Will, giving him a tired smile. "I wanted that to happen".

They looked at each other for a few seconds, until a voice was heard from downstairs.

"Will? Are you coming?"

"That's Chad" said Will, looking for his underwear, and raised his voice. "Sorry, I fell asleep again! I'm coming!"

"Interesting, you said that last night" Sonny mused.

Will turned to him, amused and shocked at the same time. "I cannot believe you just made that joke".

"What? I can be funny too".

"Shut up and get dressed" said Will, looking for clothes that would make everyone downstairs believe he slept wearing them. "I'll be up again soon, I gotta get you out of here".

"Don't I get breakfast too?" Sonny teased.

"Chad sees you, he kills you" Will replied, putting on an old T-shirt (almost all his clothes had belonged to Chad, just a few had been saved after his alleged death, and the rest of them had been sold or donated). "And if he doesn't Stefano will. You're a Kiriakis in DiMera territory after all".

"How come no one heard us?" he wondered. "We were drunk, I'm pretty sure we were must have been very noisy".

"Beats me" he replied. "Though knowing Abigai, she probably made him stay out with her until late".

"So you're home alone in nights?"

"Not always, but I do have my own privacy whenever I want so I can't complain".

"You could always move in with me".

"With that old snake? No thanks. And I wouldn't do that to Chad, not after everything he's done for me".

"Honorary DiMera now?"

Will scoffed. "Please, I've been a honorary DiMera ever since my mom started dating EJ and my grandma Kate married Stefano. And that was way before Chad came into the picture".

Sonny shrugged. "It was worth trying".

"Just be ready" said Will. "I'll try to come up with a plan to get you out of here before anyone notices".

When Will got out of the room, Sonny sighed, and started looking for his clothes.

* * *

"I know, I'm just worried" said Adrienne, as she and Justin entered the main room.

Victor and Maggie were already there, sitting on the table, having already started breakfast.

"What is it, Adrienne?" Maggie asked.

"Sonny didn't come home last night" Justin explained.

"So? He could have spent the night in a friend's house" said Victor.

"He would have called!" Adrienne insisted, as they sat on the table too.

"Maybe he just went out, had fun and is resting" Justin suggested.

"Or maybe he just wanted to be alone" Victor muttered, remembering his argument with Sonny the previous night.

"What was that?" asked Maggie.

"Nothing" he replied.

"It's still early" Justin said, checking his watch. "He'll call soon, I know it".

"He better call" said Adrienne. "Or I'm calling the police".

"Have some faith, Adrienne, he's a grown man".

"I'm his mother, I have a right to worry" she insisted. "I'm calling the police and that's it".

"Doing something nice for my brother?" said Malcolm as he entered the room, followed by two men in suits and with a paper in his hand. "That's unheard of".

"What the hell are you doing here?" Victor asked with hostility. "How did you get in?"

"Victor" Maggie scolded, not liking his tone.

"It's ok" Malcolm said. "This time I just had to show the badge. Anyway, Adrienne, I appreciate the gesture, but I've already taken care of everything".

"Gesture?" she asked. "What are you talking about?"

"Calling the cops" he answered, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world, and pointed at Victor. "To nail this guy. I'm assuming you are all aware of what he did, right?"

"Oh, God" said Justin, hiding his face in dismay. "What has Victor done now?"

"You, you don't know?" he asked.

"I'm calling the cops because Sonny's missing" said Adrienne.

"Oh, right, he mentioned something about wanting space..." he said.

"So you know where he is?"

"I have no idea" he replied. "But that's not why I'm here".

He gave the paper to Victor. "Merry Christmas or happy birthday, whatever's closer".

Victor read it. He scoffed. "A restraining order".

"That's right" Malcolm said proudly.

"Are you kidding me?"

"What? It's simple, easier to handle, and I needed something quick. It's perfect!"

"Why has my uncle gotten a restraining order and who is he supposed to stay away from?" Justin asked, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Well" said Malcolm, leaning on the back of the couch and facing the Kiriakises. "Victor has been ordered to stay away from Will. There's an exception for Christmas because he and Aunt Maggie come together to the Horton House and Will goes too, and I don't want to complicate things".

"But why the restraining order?" asked Maggie.

Malcolm shrugged. "Because he's too old for prison, that's why".

Justin groaned. "Just tell us. I need to hear it. This has to be good".

"Victor is responsible for activating the chip that made Will go crazy the other day. He's also partially responsible for Chad DiMera's heart attack".

"None of those things were done..." Victor started.

"That's not important anymore" Malcolm interrupted.

"Do you have any proof?" Maggie asked.

"Just a recording of him admiting he did press the button of the remote control that activated the chip" he replied. "But he also claimed he didn't know what it was for... It's a bit complicated, the thing is, I turned it over to the CIA and with some help got that restraining order".

"Let me see that" said Justin, taking the paper from Victor.

"Anyway, you've been served" said Malcolm, standing up.

"And your friends?" Adrienne asked, signaling to the men Malcolm had come with.

Malcolm looked at them and chuckled. "Oh, yeah. I wasn't sure if Victor was alone, because the last time we were he tried to have me killed". He shrugged. "Better safe than sorry. Ok, bye".

He got out of the room and the Mansion.

Victor turned to Maggie, who was glaring at him. he sighed. "I can explain".

"Well, I better believe it" she said, and got up from the table, going upstairs, as Justin read the document.

* * *

"Morning" Will greeted as he joined the table. Both Stefano and Andre were reading the newspaper, while Chad had his coffee and Abigail fed a reluctant Thomas.

"Good morning, William" said Stefano. "That cup's for you".

"Thanks".

"Someone's a little grumpy today" Abby said as her son rejected the spoon she was trying to give him.

"Maybe he couldn't sleep too well" Andre suggested. "I heard a neighbor say some very loud screams were heard last night. I'm assuming the couple from the other house had another fight".

Will hid his face behind his cup as he drank, so they wouldn't see him blush.

"That marriage won't last for too long" Abby commented. "They do fight a lot. I heard they even get physical".

"They do" said Chad. "I saw them in their backyard. The wife can certainly kick some ass".

Stefano cleared his throat, not liking that kind of expressions on the table.

"Sorry".

"Will" said Abby, when he put his cup back on the table. "You're beaming".

Will turned to her, lost. "What?"

"Oh yeah" said Chad. "You look like a bride about to get married".

Will let out a nervous chuckle. "No, I don't".

"Yes, you do" said Abby, amused. "Something's made you really happy and I wanna know what it is".

"I'm not beaming" Will insisted.

"Come on" Chad said. "I wanna know what has made my friend look like that".

 _"Oh God, think fast, think fast!"_ Will thought, panicking inside.

"Um, I'm just happy" he covered. "You know, I've been kept from home for so long, and all the drama of my return's aftermath is over. And I think I never actually thanked you guys for letting me stay here, so thanks".

"Ah, there's no need" said Stefano. "We are very happy as well that you agreed to stay with us. And you're more than welcome to live here for as long as you wish".

"Ditto" said Chad. "But don't take advantage, eh?"

"I won't" Will laughed as his friend did too.

* * *

Malcolm walked through the square, and sat on one of the tables. He waited for a few minutes until he spotted Sami and EJ, who saw him as well.

"Morning" he greeted.

"Malcolm" said EJ.

"Hey" Sami greeted. "What's up?"

"I've been waiting for you" he said. "I know this day of the week you guys take a walk around here and the park, so I just figured 'why not?'".

"You know our personal schedule?" Sami asked, incredulous.

"And your work schedule" he replied, proudly. "I know yours, Jackson's, Gabi's, Abigail's Chad's, and, well, I don't know Will's but that's because he's currently unemployed. Oh, I also know the schedule of your kids and Ari's, you know, in case of emergency".

"You know my kids' schedule?"

"They're my half-siblings, aren't they? I figured I should know".

EJ nodded. "He's got a point".

"Anyway" she said. "Why were you waiting for us?"

"Just wanted to show this" Malcolm replied, giving her another paper. "I'm gonna need it back, though. I'm gonna show it to Lucas and then I'll give it to Will".

Sami took the paper and read it with EJ. After a minute or two, because she had to read it once or twice again.

"You got a restraining order against Victor for Will" said Sami.

"I did".

"That's it?"

"Hey, what do you want me to say? The guy's old, he can't go to prison. And there wasn't enough evidence except for a small recording of him saying what had happened. You heard him, since he didn't know what the remote control did, he couldn't receive a big sentence. So, using his hatred towards Will and his attempts of killing me as excuses, I got this".

"Why not getting one for you too?"

Malcolm chuckled. "Because I may like to push his buttons from time to time".

"Does Victor know?" EJ asked.

"He does. I gave him a copy this morning" he replied, smirking. "Old man's been served not only that, but a good reprimand by his wife".

* * *

Maggie entered her room, followed by Victor.

"Maggie, you have to believe me" he insisted.

"I've been so tolerant of everything you've done" she said. "But this is outrageous!"

"This was not me, I never worked with Deimos to control Will's mind!"

"Really, Victor? This isn't the first time you've tried to hurt other people. And not just that, they are my family, people that I care a lot about!"

"Look, I'm sorry" said Victor. "I promise, I had nothing to do with Deimos's plan".

"And the remote control?" said Maggie. "What about it? I want you to explain to me why Malcolm came into our house and gave you a restraining order. I want you to explain to me what that chip was, and how you activated it".

Victor sighed. "I found a remote control on Deimos's drawer, after his death, that day when we were getting rid of his things. It was small, square-shaped, and had an antenna and a red button on it. I didn't know what it did, so I pressed it. When nothing happened, I threw it to the floor, and smashed it with my foot. I didn't know of what went on in the DiMera Mansion until I heard of it in the news the next day".

"Why should I believe you weren't working with Deimos from day 1?"

"Because I also believed Will was dead" he replied. "I delivered the news to Sonny, remember? I know how much Will meant to Sonny, despite the switch, I would never do that to him".

"And also" he continued, taking Maggie's hands. "Deimos also hurt you. There was no way I'd let him do that. Not to you".

Maggie accepted his hug, but wasn't letting the situation go easily.

"This made Will have surgery in his head, not to mention he injured himself. And Chad, my God, he had a heart attack. He's way too young for that".

"Since when is Chad DiMera family of yours?" Victor asked, frowning.

"Chad became a Horton the day he married Abigail" she replied firmly. "He's family too, and you can't attack him either".

"What?"

"That's right. This is ending right now" she said. "You are going to make peace with the DiMeras".

Victor stared at Maggie like she had grown an extra head. "Maggie, I love you, but are you out of your mind?"

"What? You always complain how this 'war' is costing your company millions of dollars".

"Because DiMera Enterprises always sabotages our moves!" Victor said.

"Fine, then you won't have a problem" she replied. "Tomorrow you're making peace with Stefano".

"We're no longer CEO's of our companies!"

Maggie shrugged. "But you are still the owners".

She sighed. "Sonny and Chad are young and stubborn. They need their mentors to set an example. You both are the ones who started the feud anyway. This has gone way too far, Victor".

Victor sighed too. "Alright. Tomorrow I'll end the war with Stefano".

Maggie nodded. "Thank you".

She went to the door.

"Does this mean I'm forgiven?" Victor asked.

Maggie, now at the door, turned to him. "It's a start".

* * *

When Will made it back to his bedroom, Sonny was already changed and ready to go.

"Oh my God, what took you so long?" Sonny hissed in a low voice.

"I'm sorry, we just talked and I didn't want them to be suspicious..." he replied, also in a low voice, but frowned. "Did you shower?"

"I did".

"How long was I downstairs?"

"Too long".

Will pouted. "Sorry".

Sonny tilted his head. "It's ok. So, what do we do?"

"I've been thinking of any way of getting you out without anyone noticing".

"And?"

"I came up with nothing".

"Will!"

"Hey, I just had surgery in my head, when I think it literally hurts!" Will protested.

Sonny sighed, and nodded in understanding. "Ok, why don't you let me think of something?"

Will shook his head. "No, I got you into this, I should get you out".

"We're just in the second floor" Sonny said, as he looked through the window. "I could climb down the wall".

"And be killed by Stefano's men? No" he replied. "Come on, there's got to be a way..."

Just then, a few knocks were made on the door.

"Will?" said Chad's voice, outside the room. "Are you alright? I heard voices".

Will and Sonny shared a glance.

"It's ok, Chad" said Will. "I'm just watching one of those fun videos".

Sonny looked at him, confused. Will just shrugged.

"A fun video?" Chad asked. "Oh, I wanna watch too!"

Will gave Sonny a panicking look. "Uh, it's not a good time".

"Why not?"

Sonny just shook his hands, not knowing what Will could answer.

"Uh" Will hesitated. "Uh, well, the guy in this video is really cute..."

"Hot" Sonny whispered.

"Hot!" Will exclaimed. "He's really, really hot".

Will turned to Sonny, with a mix of confusion and indignation on his face, as there was a silence out of the room.

"Oh" Chad finally said. "Oh! Ok, um, but don't stain the sheets, ok? There are still two days left for laundry day".

When they heard him leave, Will rolled his eyes. "Great, now Chad thinks I'm desperate".

"I can't believe we didn't stain the sheets after all" said Sonny, checking the bed.

"Shut up and think of something".

* * *

Chad came downstairs, where Abigail was trying to entertain Thomas with some of his toys.

"Hey" she said. "What's with the face?".

"I'm trying not to imagine a certain friend of mine having some private time for himself" he deadpanned.

Abby frowned. "Uh, should I ask?"

"No, please" he replied, joining her, and taking the stuffed elephant she had been trying to give her son. Thomas accepted it immediately.

"You little twerp!" Abby said, indignant. "So I offer it to you and you reject me, your dad comes and you accept it?"

"I'm cooler" Chad joked.

"We'll see about that the next time he wants a treat" she said with fake resentment.

Chad chuckled. "He'll give you his cute little sad eyes and you will cave. You always do, you're weak to my baby boy's charms".

"Damn, I  _am_ weak to his charms" she said, and picked up her son. "Well, that's good, because your Daddy and I put a lot of effort into making your beautiful, beautiful little face".

Chad scoffed. "You wanna go there?"

"Shut up" she said. "You know what I mean".

The little boy laughed and, when Abby put him on the floor, took his stuffed elephant and showed it to his dad.

"Rawr!" he exclaimed.

"Rawr!" Chad replied as he took his son and lifted him in the air, making him and Abigail laugh.

In the meantime, Will silently looked at them from the foyer, and took advantage,that they were showing their backs to the door. He made Sonny go down as well, in silence, and quietly opened the door.

"Run, run!" he whispered, and Sonny quickly left the mansion.

Will silently closed the door, but the sound it made was a little too loud.

Chad, with Thomas in his arms, and Abby turned around.

"Will" he said. "Going somewhere?"

"No, no" he replied. "I just... Uh, I was coming downstairs and, uh, I thought I heard something. But don't worry, it was just a bird".

"A bird?" Abby asked.

"Yeah, a not too big one, red and yellow, very pretty".

"Oh, a western tanager!" Abby exclaimed. "I always wanted to see one, I've seen pictures and they are gorgeous!"

"Yeah, that's what it was" Will replied, coming to them. "So, what's up, giys?"

"I am going out, actually" she said.

Chad turned to her. "You are?"

"Yeah, I'm gonna go see my mom" she said. "And also, today's my turn to get the handbag, so I'm meeting Gabi too".

"You're really gonna share it?" Chad asked. "Wonder how that's gonna turn out".

"Handbag?" Will asked.

"She and Gabi bought this ridiculously expensive handbag" Chad explained. "Fun story, I'll tell you about it later".

"Well, I'm gonna go get ready" she said, going upstairs.

Will watched her go, and turned to Chad, who was glaring at him. Funny, Thomas was also looking at him.

Will gave him a nervous grin. "Has anyone told you Thomas and you have the same facial expressions?"

"Will" Chad said, giving in and chuckling. "What were you doing upstairs?"

"What?"

"Hey, I won't judge" he said. "Although this reminds of that time you thought you were alone in your mom's apartment..."

"You walked in without knocking!" Will defended.

"You're lucky I was alone" Chad laughed. "But hey, maybe you'd like to... Do that in the night".

Will raised an eyebrow, and couldn't help but blush. "I will".

"Good" he replied. "Now, fun story".

 _"Dammit, Sonny"_ Will thought, embarrased, as he joined Chad on the couch.

* * *

"A restraining order" Lucas said, reading the paper Malcolm had given. "You know, despite its simplicity, this is a great accomplishment. Not too many people get Victor Kiriakis to receive a little bit of justice in their favor".

"I know" Malcolm replied, really proud of himself. "I already told Sami. I figured since you're both Will's parents you should know. I'm giving this to Will once I leave".

"It's very good" he said. "I'm pretty sure your brother's gonna be more relaxed with this. What's a shame is that I won't get to see his face behind bars".

Malcolm shrugged. "Age became an obstacle. Ah, who cares. I'll make sure there's no more harm done".

"I'm sure you will" said Lucas, shaking Malcolm's hand. "I'm really proud of you, son".

"Thanks" he said. "Well, I should leave. I must give this to Will right away".

He was about to walk out of his father's apartment, when his phone rang. He read the text.

"What is it?" Lucas asked. "A new assignment or something?"

"No, it's from Aunt Maggie" he replied. "Good Lord, this is huge".

"What?"

"Victor has asked Stefano for a meeting tomorrow. Chad and Sonny must be there too, and since I've been investigating and controlling them, I've been called as a mediator".

"What for?" Lucas asked.

Malcolm looked at him. "Victor's gonna make peace with the DiMeras".


	38. Chapter 38

Will was lying on his bed, staring at the paper Malcolm had given him the day before. From that moment, Victor Kiriakis would not be anywhere around him, and though it made him feel safe, it didn't make him feel better.

Besides, Malcolm had seemed quite happy to give it to him.

_Will went to open the door when he heard knocks. "Oh, hey"._

_"Will" Malcolm greeted, his grin a little too obvious, and walked in with a small briefcase in his hand. "How are you?"_

_"I'm ok" Will replied, already suspicious, following him to the living room. He knew his brother was up to something. "What brings you here?"_

_"I just was around the neighb..." Malcolm looked at Will, who was staring at him with his arms crossed. He rolled his eyes. "Fine, right to the point, whatever. Here"._

_He opened the briefcase and took out a paper._

_"All yours" he declared._

_Will took the paper from him, and read it. He frowned. "A restraining order?"_

_Malcolm rolled his eyes. "I know, I know. When it comes to Victor Kiriakis this is kinda ridiculous. But you can't deny it's quite an accomplishment, considering who he is"._

_"I know" Will replied. "At least he won't be bothering anymore"._

_"See? That's the spirit! Now, you keep it. It's for you"._

_"Why would I need it? I know there's a copy saved in case Victor violates this"._

_"You still need it" Malcolm said. "You know, the American justice system can be a pain in the ass sometimes. I'm not saying you'll need it soon, but better safe than sorry, don't you think?"_

_"I guess" he replied, folding the paper._ _"So what now?"_

_Malcolm shrugged. "I also came because I wanted to let you know a few things"._

_Will sat on the sofa and stared at him expectantly._

_"My mission here is soon to be over"._

_"Really?"_

_Malcolm shrugged. "Yeah. Deimos is dead, Victor's been neutralized, Stefano has promised not to interfere in anything anymore"._

_Will crossed his arms and gave him an amused look. "And you take Stefano's word?"_

_Malcolm scoffed. "Of course not. But I'm pretty sure he's got a few sons to keep him in check"._

_"And what did you mean by Victor being neutralized?"_

_"Oh, with the restraining order and practically all his family angry with him, I don't think he'll do much" he replied, waving his hand. "Say what you want about him, the guy's too smart to screw up"._

_Will nodded. "Right, what else?"._

_Malcolm smirked. "The DiMera-Kiriakis feud is over"._

_Will frowned. "Does this means... Chad and Sonny made up?"_

_Malcolm chuckled. "God, no. This has more to do with Victor"._

_"I don't think I'm following"._

_"Ah, brother" Malcolm said, patting Will's shoulder. "You're in for a long fun story"._

Will sighed. He folded the paper, stood up and put it in his drawer. He thought about what Malcolm had told him.

 _"It's over"_ he thought.  _"I hope he won't have to leave, though"._

* * *

Downstairs, Stefano and Chad were waiting for their car that would take them to the Kiriakis Mansion.

"How is William doing today?" Stefano asked.

"He's good" Chad replied. "I told him to have breakfast already since we won't be here most of the morning. He has another therapy session with his grandmother at 10".

Stefano nodded with a sigh. "That is very good, very good. As long as the boy gets better".

Chad nodded and yawned.

Stefano chuckled. "Only Victor Kiriakis would call for a meeting this early".

"Maybe that's his final action to piss us off. Not letting me sleep".

"Oh, come on. It's 7 o' clock".

"On a Saturday!" Chad defended. "I don't get how you're not annoyed".

"I am a happy man today" Stefano declared. "Once again the glory is ours".

Chad smirked. "They surrendered. Who would have thought".

"I told you, son" he said, putting his hands on his son's shoulders. "We, as a united front, are invincible".

"We are" Chad said, and turned around when Andre entered the living room.

"So, I guess we are all ready" he said. "The car is outside".

"Awesome" said Chad, clapping his hands, and following him to the door, with Stefano behind him.

* * *

Malcolm entered the living room of the Kiriakis Mansion, led by Henderson, where Victor and Sonny waited for him and the DiMeras with some men in suit who appeared to be Titan lawyers.

"Sorry I'm late" he said, looking around the room. When he saw the DiMeras hadn't arrived yet, he huffed. "Guess I'm not late after all".

"At least you deigned to come" Sonny said, crossing his arms.

"No armed friends this time?" Victor asked roughly.

Malcolm smirked. "Don't tempt me. I decided to trust Aunt Maggie's message. I don't think she'd stab me in the back".

"For all you know you could have been set up" said Sonny.

"Barking dog doesn't bite, Jackson" he replied, approaching them. "Does this discussion have a point anyway?"

"Have a seat, Malcolm" Victor said.

Malcolm smirked again. "I'd rather stand".

"This is ridiculous" said Sonny. "You don't have to be so rude".

"What the..." Malcolm started. "Oh my God, where are those freaking DiMeras?"

"What? Never got scolded before?"

"Jackson, I swear to God, you little self-righteous..."

"Stop it, both of you" Victor ordered. "I don't need to be stressed out before anything happens in this living room, and I won't have any of your nagging today, understood?"

"Yes, Uncle Vic" Sonny said, resignedly.

Malcolm, on the other hand, scoffed. "Of course, Victor. I would certainly not want to be the cause of you... Stressing out".

Victor smirked. "Are you looking for a fight? Because I don't have any issues calling my men. They will end you in a heartbeat".

"They couldn't the first time and they never will" he replied. "Let me see the papers".

Victor snapped his fingers and Sonny gave him a file, which he gave to Malcolm. The boy took it and leaned on the back of the couch to read them.

He chuckled a bit. "For a moment I was almost expecting the title to be 'Peace act' or something like that".

"What do you think this is? The army?" Victor asked, quite annoyed.

Malcolm shrugged. "I happen to not understand this business mumbo jumbo. People have died in this predicament, and others have been sent to the OR. This has been more than just a corporate war and you know it".

"That's why I'm having it terminated".

"Oh please. We all know your wife made you. But hey, at least it's better than to think you surrendered to the DiMeras".

"We don't care what they think" said Sonny.

"Mm hm".

Just then, the doors of the room opened, and Henderson entered.

"Stefano, Andre and Chad DiMera, sir" he solemnly announced, for they were standing behind him.

"Let them in" Victor grunted.

They did, and Victor was immediatly bothered by Stefano's annoying grin.

"Ok" said Chad, deciding to avoid a fight between his father and Victor. "Let's get this over with".

* * *

Marlena opened the door of her office with a smile. Like she expected, Will was outside, ready for his therapy session.

"Hello, dear" she greeted.

"Hi" he greeted back. "How's everything?"

"Good, good. Come in".

Will obliged, and sat across her at her desk. "What will we do today?"

"Well, today, as every session, I will start by asking" she replied, leaning he arms on the desk. "How has your day been?"

"So far it's been ok" he said with a shrug. "Chad left early today with Andre and Stefano. They had a meeting with Victor, so I had breakfast with Abby and Thomas. Ari's coming after school, like everyday".

Marlena smiled at him. "But I can still see there's something in your mind. Do you want to share what it is?"

Will hesitated. "Well, it's kinda strange".

"Try me".

"Malcolm came by yesterday, to check on me and that" he started.

Marlena nodded.

"He, um, also wanted to give me something".

"What was it?"

"A restrining order against Victor Kiriakis".

Marlena looked surprised. "As in  _the_ Victor Kiriakis?"

"Yeah" he chuckled. "Unbelievable, isn't it?"

"Well, yes!" she exclaimed, laughing with him. "No one has ever been able to make the authorities even give him a warning. Yes, he's been arrested a few times, but did anything stand against him? No!"

"I know" he said. "Anyway, he can't be anywhere near me, nor anything of his influence".

Marlena wasn't sure if her next question touched a sensitive topic, but decided to take the risk. "Does that include, you know, Sonny?"

Will frowned. "I don't think so. Sonny may be Victor's employee, but he's certainly not his 'lap dog' or something like that".

His grandmother nodded in understanding. "Yet I still see something is bothering you. Now I know it isn't Sonny what worries you. Does it have to do with your parents or siblings? Perhaps Arianna?".

"No, no" he said. "Um, they are all ok, and Ari is great. She comes visit me everyday after school and spends the whole weekend with us at the mansion, so it's not like I can complain too much".

"Ok".

"It's, uh, something else Malcolm said last night".

"What was it?"

"It's, um, well, I'm not sure I'm allowed to tell".

Marlena smiled at him. "Everything said inside these four walls is strictly confidential. There are no exceptions for anything you shall say".

Will nodded. "Malcolm said his mission here is coming to its close".

"To its close?"

"Mm hm" he said with another nod. "He explained that he had chosen this place to spend his vacation, but then he read about what was going on with the DiMeras and the Kiriakises and called his boss. He was later ordered to keep an eye on everything and control the situation, and during that time he found out he was a Horton and started investigating his roots and family, which eventually led to my rescue".

"Go on".

"He, he said that... With Deimos dead and everything out of control, including that restraining order, this war became more than just a corporate competition".

"It's always been like this" Marlena sighed. "Stefano and Victor have always been mortal enemies. During past feuds, many lives were lost because of them. And this time was no exception".

"That's what he said" he replied. "But, Aunt Maggie sent him a message yesterday. Victor called the DiMeras for a meeting today. They're making peace".

"But why does that worry you?"

"It bugs me a bit, because Malcolm said once the papers are signed, he has no business in Salem anymore".

"Of course he does" Marlena said. "He officially moved here. He wants to know his family. You think he will leave town?"

"Doesn't that happen to agents like him?" Will asked. "Don't they get relocated after doing their thing?"

Marlena chuckled. "You've watched too many spy movies. Things aren't like that in real life".

"Oh" he said, feeling slightly better. "I should have known".

"You silly boy" she said affectionately. "But I'm really happy, because I now know you've come to care a lot about Malcolm, despite barely knowing him".

"Why wouldn't I?" Will asked. "He's my brother after all".

Marlena smiled at him. "I'm sure he appreciates having a big brother looking out for him".

"Actually,  _he_ has been the one making sure I'm taken care of".

"That's because you're still a bit fragile" she replied. "But you're getting stronger again, both psysically and mentally. In fact, we'll continue working on that now".

Will nodded, as Marlena took out her files, beginning their session.

* * *

"Ok, sign here" Victor's lawyer told Stefano. "And Mr Chad should sign here".

Stefano and Chad signed where they were told.

"And you Mr Kiriakis, should sign here".

Victor and Sonny signed too.

"And you Mr Horton, right here".

Malcolm also signed.

"Well, that should be all" said the lawyer.

Malcolm approached him covertly. "Hey, uh, I'm gonna need you to send me a copy of that".

"Sure, no problem" he replied, and headed out.

"So" said Sonny. "War is over".

"At least the one on the Stock Exchange" said Chad, as Stefano and Andre got out and he followed them. He turned to Sonny again. "But don't expect us to let our guards down. Beware, we will not have mercy. See you around, Malcolm".

Malcolm raised his hand to say goodbye, and Chad left.

"We'll see about that" Victor grunted, going to his room.

"Ah, well" said Malcolm walking to the door. "I should go too. I told Will I'd pick him up from Marlena's and go for Arianna at school".

"How is he?" asked Sonny.

Malcolm turned to him, with an eyebrow raised. "He's ok. No, pretty weird actually. While talking yesterday, I asked how he was handling you being in his life and he immediatly changed the topic. Any idea why he'd do that?"

Sonny went slightly pale, knowing exactly why.

_Will sighed and rubbed his face, just as Sonny, also naked, appeared from under the covers. "You think he knew I was here?"_

However, Sonny shrugged. "No".

"Oh, well. I'm pretty sure he's ok today, though. I found it strange 'cause he's never done that before. I guess I figured something had to happen" he said, raising his eyebrows, and left the room.

Sonny sighed and closed his eyes in dismay.  _"He totally knows"._

* * *

Malcolm got out of the mansion, and checked if anyone was near. Seeing no one, he drew his watch close to his mouth.

"Mission accomplished" he said.

"Received" said a voice from the watch.

Malcolm put his arm down. He had his phone in his hands and his eyes narrowed.

"Now" he muttered, before walking away. "What are those two hiding?"

* * *

Chad entered his office, only to find Thomas sitting on his chair. The boy was so little he could spread his legs on it without any risk of falling to the floor.

"What are you doing here?" Chad wondered, picking him up.

The baby just grinned at his dad, making him smile back.

"Oh, you were snooping around Daddy's office, weren't you?" he cooed. "You little explorer. Well, I guess since Mommy isn't home, you can stay with me, huh? What do you say?"

Thomas clapped his hands happily, liking the idea, and clung onto Chad's shirt.

Chad chuckled, and sat on the chair, putting his son on his lap and giving him a kiss on the top of his little head.

"You know I love you, so, so much" he kept cooing, as he moved on the chair while holding Thomas tightly. "Ah, you've gotten so big already. Couldn't you stay a baby a little longer?"

"Da'!" Thomas happily exclaimed.

"Yes, I am!" Chad said, grinning more and kissing his son's hand. "You know, today's been a good day so far. Our family's has demonstrated to be superior once again. A family you belong to and will one day lead. It's your legacy and your future. But, this world is ruthless and tough, and you've got to be prepared, so when the time comes, you are the greatest leader this company has seen".

He looked at Thomas, who was playing with his tie, and sighed. "But if that's not your path, then I must not force you to do anything. I don't want to make you do something you don't want to do. I can't do that to you. You must be happy being whatever you decide to be and doing whatever you decide to do. You're my pride and my joy. I want you to live your life to the fullest".

He smiled as Thomas looked up at him.

"My sweet, sweet boy".

* * *

Will got out of the building where Marlena worked. Outside, leaning on a lamppost across the street, Malcolm waited for him. He looked casual, for Will knew he was coming from the meeting at the Kiriakis Mansion.

He looked to both sides and crossed the street, with his hands in the pockets of his jacket.

"Hey" Malcolm greeted. "How is it going?"

"Just finished another session with my grandma" Will shrugged. He rubbed the back of his neck. "How was that meeting? Did Victor really called for a truce?"

"Yep" he replied. "It was just a matter of time. Old man couldn't take it anymore".

Will chuckled. "Let's walk. Ari gets out of school in a while".

Malcolm followed him. "So how was today?"

"It was alright" Will replied. "Grandma is helping a lot. I'm feeling a lot better with every session".

"Nightmares gone already?"

"Sort of" he admitted. "They come and go. But I don't wake up screaming and crying anymore. Besides, it hasn't been that long".

Malcolm nodded. "True. Well, as long as you're ok, it doesn't matter".

"Thanks" said Will, as they reached the square. "I do have a feeling everything will work out in the end for me".

"That's good, really good" he said, stopping and turning to him. "You know, Jackson keeps asking about you".

"Is he?" Will asked a little quick.

Malcolm raised an eyebrow. "Just how you are, relax".

"Oh" he said, scratching his ear. "Yeah, of course. Um, and, just out of curiosity, how is he?"

"He seemed fine to me" he replied, a little amused by his brother's reaction to Sonny's name.  _"Man, four years and still head over heels about each other. Just get together already, not that I'm totally against it or anything"._

"So" said Will. "What did you say?"

"That you were fine" he replied. "And of course that you got weird yesterday, you know?"

Will definitely knew.

_"Ok, ok" Will laughed. "Victor is now being bossed around by his wife?"_

_"Funny, huh?" Malcolm nodded, equally grinning with his arms crossed._

_"Man, I never thought Aunt Maggie could actually be capable of that, this is just great"._

_"I know right? She's so loving and, no offense, kinda oblivious to everything that's been happening in that house for years"._

_"Oblivious?"_

_"Why else would she still be married to that guy?"_

_Will gave him a look. "Because she's in love?"_

_Malcolm shrugged. "Love is definitely blind"._

_"And for all" Will added. "Everybody has their someone special"._

_"Like Jackson?" Malcolm asked bluntly._

_Will stared at him blankly._

_"Don't look at me like that, I've seen the way you look at the guy" said Malcolm._

_Will turned to the wall."Chad's thinking of painting this wall red, what do you think?"_

_Malcolm frowned. "Huh?"_

_"Well, not too red, dark red" Will said, obviously not liking the subject. "I do think it would kinda go with the place"._

"Did he say anything?" Will asked.

"I asked if he knew why, 'cause I thought it had to have something to do with him, but he said he didn't" Malcolm replied. "Still, that doesn't change what happened. You act pretty strange when it comes to Jackson".

"Yeah, sorry about that" he said. "It's, uh, not easy".

Malcolm shrugged. "I get it. Look, Jackson may not be my favorite person in the world, but, he made you happy once. If there's any chance that could happen again, then I guess I can have your back".

Will smiled. "Thanks".

"Of course I should give him a big warning" he said, pressing a button on his watch without Will noticing. "I can be intimidating, and I'm pretty resourseful. You've seen my guns..."

"Shut up" Will said, smacking his arm and making him walk. "Come on".

* * *

Sonny stood in front of the fireplace, and looked around the living room. It seemed so surreal. The happiest day of his life had taken place there and it had been all a lie. And now he wasn't sure where he and Will, the real Will, stood.

After waking up together at the DiMera Mansion, he and Will had practically avoided each other mostly not to let anyone notice something had happened between them. But of course now Will had this observant, nosy brother who was too smart for his own good and, apparently, had everything already figured out. He felt it was only a matter of time before everyone found out.

 _"That shouldn't matter"_ he thought.  _"I loved him. I love him. I have to make this right. I must fight for us. I must convince Will to fight for us"._

Then again, Will was shielded not only by an armed CIA agent but also by his uncle's enemies. His main competitor was Will's best friend. Will's mother had married a memeber of that family. Will was a DiMera too.

_"Talk about some dilemma"._

But Will was a grown man. Their night together had been consensual, as far as he could remember. And if he was completely honest, he didn't regret it.

_"I just hope Will doesn't"._

He had to find him. Knowing that Arianna would be out of school pretty soon, for Malcolm had mentioned it before leaving the house, he resolved to meet them at the DiMera Mansion, hoping Chad wouldn't object. The war could be over, but the grudge might still be there.

_"Screw everything"._

He picked his coat and got out of the house. But first, he would make a stop at a coffee shop and buy a few muffins for Ari.

He got to the street.

"Taxi!"

A black car that had a green sticker with the word "Taxi" on the windshield stopped in front of him. Sonny entered and sat on the backseat.

"Take me to the square, please".

The driver, a man in a black shirt and with sunglasses, turned to him and nodded. "Of course".

As the man drove, Sonny took out his phone and opened a new message. But he didn't write anything.

_"Maybe I should just get there. He could make up something to not see me and I can't risk that. This is important"._

Putting his phone on his pocket again, he noticed the man had taken out the sticker from the windshield.

"Uh, excuse me" he said. "Why did you take out the sign?"

"So we're not stopped by any other person" the man replied.

Sonny raised an eyebrow and decided to let it go. Still, something wasn't right, and he couldn't help but have a bad feeling.

The car stopped in a red light, just a few blocks away from the square. As they waited for the lights to change, the door of the car opened, and another man, also in a black shirt and wearing sunglasses entered and sat next to Sonny.

"Excuse me, this taxi is taken" Sonny said to him, annoyed.

The man looked at him, but didn't say anything.

Sonny rolled his eyes. "Whatever, we're closed to the square anyway. I think I'll just walk".

He tried to open the door, but it was locked. "What the hell..."

Suddenly, the man next to him grabbed him and pressed a white tissue over his face. Sonny tried to fight back, but started to feel dizzy, everything turned black and within seconds, he was out like a light.

"Let's go" said the man.

The driver nodded, and turned to the right as the lights changed to green.

* * *

"...and also Mrs Robinson said that Ethan was a bad boy because he pulled Amy's hair in the classroom" Ari ranted as she, Will and Malcolm entered the DiMera Mansion.

"You  _aren't_ supposed to pull anyone's hair at all" Malcolm said.

"So it's been a good day?" Will asked, as he and his brother sat on the couch.

Ari nodded. "It was fun".

Will smiled at her. "Go clean yourself up so you can eat, ok? If you see Uncle Chad or Aunt Abby, say hi, will you?"

"Yes, Daddy" she said, and went upstairs.

"Such a sweetheart" Malcolm commented.

"I know" said Will, still smiling. "You'll have one too, you know?"

Malcolm stared at him. "Dude, I'm only 18".

Will laughed. "No, not now, of course. But one day maybe".

"Yeah" he replied. "That would depend on my schedule. I'm a busy person".

"Will you leave?"

Malcolm shook his head. "Not permanently, at least. Salem is my home now. My family is here. So, whilst I would still have to leave for assignments, I will always come back".

Will just nodded. "That's good. Dad's gonna be relieved".

"I know you will too, don't even try to deny it" Malcolm teased. "I appreciate it, though. Normally, I would have fled to the headquarters the minute those papers were signed".

"Why didn't you?"

"I already told you, my family's here. You've all grown on me".

Will nodded, not hiding his grin at all. "Are you getting a new assignment now?"

"Probably" Malcolm replied. "They don't last too much, it depends on the circumstances".

"This one took you months".

"That's because the mystery of your death and then your impersonation came out. Since you're family, the agency let me investigate. On different circumstances, I would have been done a long time ago".

"I feel so privileged" he mused.

Malcolm's phone beeped, and he checked ot, just as Ari came down the stairs and stood in front of Will.

"Uncle Chad has fallen asleep in his office" she announced.

"Oh, he must be very tired" said Will. "I should wake him, is he in a bad posture?"

"Not exactly" she replied. "He's sitting still and Thomas is on his lap".

"Ok, then I must wake him so he doesn't let him fall" said Will, standing up. He turned to Malcolm. "You coming".

"Uh, actually I must go" he replied, also standing up. "I gotta do something, I'll see you later".

"Oh, ok" Will said, and patted Ari's shoulder. "Say goodbye, Ari".

"Bye!" she said with a bog smile and waving her hand.

"Bye, little one" he said, and turned to Will as he opened the door. "See ya".

Once he was gone, Will turned to Ari with a grin. "Wanna go scare Uncle Chad?"

Ari eagerly nodded.

"Ok, but first, let's get Thomas out of his grip".

They rushed silently upstairs.

* * *

When Sonny woke up, he had to blink a few times to adapt himself to the light. Or well, the little amount of light in the room.

It was a dark room. Sonny was sitting in a chair, tied and gagged. In front of his was a table and over it a lamp. Its light wasn't enough for the whole room, unfortunately.

 _"Why am I getting flashbacks?"_ he thought, rolling his eyes.

"He's awake" a voice said, startling him, for the echo of the voice in the room made it sound louder.

He managed to see a shadow moving until it was in front of him across the table. Whoever it was leaned on it, approaching the light.

"Hello again, Jackson" said Malcolm.


	39. Chapter 39

When Sonny woke up, he had to blink a few times to adapt himself to the light. Or well, the little amount of light in the room.

It was a dark room. Sonny was sitting in a chair, tied and gagged. In front of him was a table and over it a lamp. Its light wasn't enough for the whole room, unfortunately.

 _"Why am I getting flashbacks?"_ he thought, rolling his eyes.

"He's awake" a voice said, startling him, for the echo of the voice in the room made it sound louder.

He managed to see a shadow moving until it was in front of him across the table. Whoever it was leaned on it, approaching the light.

"Hello again, Jackson" said Malcolm.

Sonny rolled his eyes again. Of course Malcolm had to kidnap him. At least now he knew he wouldn't get hurt. Not too hurt, that is.

"Oh, good" said the boy, turning to the men who were next to him after examining him quickly. "You didn't hit him this time".

The man to Malcolm's right side leaned over the table and removed the gag from Sonny's mouth, a little roughly.

"Ah!" Sonny complained. "You bastard. What the hell am I doing here?"

"You're just sitting in a chair with your hands tied" he replied like it was the most obvious thing, and turned to the men. "Right, untie him. He's not a threat".

The men obliged, and once Sonny was freed, he tried to fight them. He struggled with them, but they were too big and strong for him. They weren't too rough, for Malcolm had ordered them not to harm Sonny, but managed to make him sit still on the chair, placing their hands on his shoulders strongly.

"Like I said" said Malcolm, after watching the whole thing with an eyebrow raised. "Not a threat".

Sonny still struggled a bit weakly, but the men held him still.

Malcolm leaned on the table, staring at Sonny. "I honestly don't know why you waste your energy, I just wanna talk".

"How about running into me and asking me to talk? That's what normal people do!" he replied. "Or staying longer at the mansion for that matter! What, you had this already planned when you came this morning?".

The boy chuckled. "No. I had it prepared after I left, before I met Will at the clinic. And I gave the order when I realized something".

"What?"

"That you both still have it bad for each other".

Sonny stayed silent for a moment. "And  _that_ is reason to kidnap me?!"

Malcolm rolled his eyes. "God, I have no idea what my brother sees in you, you're boring as hell".

He walked around the table to be directly in front of Sonny, and sat on it. "So, how have you been, Jackson?"

"You can't be serious".

"Oh, I'm dead serious".

Sonny glared at him. "You're in serious trouble, that is. I'll have you arrested for this".

Malcolm chuckled again. "You remember a few days ago when I covered your ass? I got arrested too, and I ended up getting exonerated. This will be the same. Now, can we talk?"

"About what?" he asked through gritted teeth.

"You keep pursuing Will" he replied. "I let myself be influenced by the nosy people of Salem to not be thrilled with the idea. However, after seeing how weird you both have been acting these past few days when it comes to each other, I reflected on that. I will no longer oppose to what you two feel".

Sonny stared at him, not sure whether to believe it or not.

Malcolm leaned down, getting close to his face. "This is the part where you say thanks or something like that".

"Why should I believe you?" Sonny asked instead.

"You've been nothing but trouble to me ever since I came to Salem. I mean, that guy who followed me around town, remember? All because I look so much like your then supposed to be dead husband. Well, we now know why. And let's not forget that day when you broke into my apartment. I do have reasons to scheme. For all you know I could be setting you up right now" he replied, the last part being a mocking version of what Sonny had said to him earlier. "I understand you being skeptical".

"But?"

Malcolm shrugged. "I don't have the time, need nor desire to waste my energy on you. It's not worth it. Besides, Will would have my head if I did such a thing".

Sonny, pointed at the men who held him. Malcolm smirked. "Oh, please, this is nothing. Let it be for the good times".

He took out his gun and pointed it to Sonny's face. "But if you ever hurt him in any way, I swear to you by all that is good in this world, you'll be sorry. I make you regret you were born at all".

Sonny looked at the weapon and nodded. Malcolm stood up, put it away and walked around the table. Once he had it between him and Sonny again, he looked at his men. "You know what to do".

As he left the room, the men put a black bag over Sonny's head, and dragged him away, resisting his struggle.

* * *

Will and Ari slowly and quietly entered Chad's office. The man had fallen asleep on his chair, which had reclined backwards slightly, but enough to not let Thomas, who also slept, fall from his lap if he moved. Will had to admit that the scene was just adorable.

"Ready?" he asked his daughter in a low voice.

Ari nodded, excited.

Will slowly approached Chad, grabbed his arms and gently moved them. He knew for a fact his best friend slept like a dead man. And it looked like Thomas was the same, for he did not even move when his father's arms were removed from around his little body. Will carefully took the baby and carried him, resting his little head on his shoulder, in such a way that his left ear was pressed against Will's shoulder. Then, he rested his hand on the baby's head, covering his right ear.

 _"If he cries, I'm dead"_ he thought, and nodded to Ari, starting to regret the prank.  _"Please don't be so loud"._

Ari climbed to Chad's lap, grabbed his shirt and started shaking him. "Uncle Chad, Uncle Chad!"

"Ah, what!" Chad exclaimed, waking up, startled, managing to grab Ari in a reflex action so she wouldn't fall thanks to his jump. However, Ari just burst in laughter.

"What... Where..." he stuttered, a little bewildered and looking around. When he caught sight of Will carrying his still sleeping son, fighting the urge to laugh with Ari, he sighed and chuckled. "You put her up to this".

"I scared you!" Ari said.

"You woke me up" he replied, and turned to Will. "Is he...?"

"Yeah, still sleeping" he said. "I'll tuck him in, you should go and rest too".

"No, no, I'm ok now".

"Uncle Chad, do we still have cookies?" Ari asked.

Chad looked at Will, and then at her, a little surprised. "Uh, we should, let's go see and if we don't, we can bake some".

Ari climbed down and ran to the kitchen. Chad followed her, but stopped next to Will.

"You ok?"

"Yeah" he replied. "I know how to put a baby to bed, I'll be fine".

"No, no" he chuckled. "I mean, was your session good?"

"Ah, yes, that too. I'm getting better everyday".

"I'm glad" he smiled. "The computer's available if you wanna use it. I saw you started writing again. Don't worry" he added, raising a hand to stop Will from complaining. "I didn't open any files with your name, I know you are all about the secrecy".

"Thanks" Will said.

Chad leaned down and kissed Thomas's hand, and then kissed Will's cheek. "Now, duty calls. If Ari hasn't called me or come back, it definitely means there  _are_ still cookies".

"Make sure she doesn't eat too many" Will said as Chad left.

Will turned on the computer and as it loaded, went to leave Thomas in his crib.

* * *

Sami and EJ arrived at Mandalay, where Lucas was having some coffee as he read the newspaper.

"Hey" she said as they sat. "What's new?"

"More than you think" he replied, tossing the newspaper at her.

Sami picked it and read it with EJ, who put on his glasses.

"Laugh all you want, Lucas" EJ said bitterly when Lucas chuckled. "But you'll also age and worse than me".

"Yeah, keep telling yourself that" he said with a smirk.

"Shut up and let me read" Sami said.

_DIMERA-KIRIAKIS FEUD TO END TODAY_

_DiMera Enterprises and Titan Industries CEOs will sign peace this morning at 7:30 am._

Sami huffed. "About time. Too many of us have been harmed in this".

"The real question is" said EJ. "How long until Father and Victor butt heads again".

"There probably won't be an 'again' in the future" said Lucas.

"Maybe" he replied. "But it never hurts to be cautious".

"The meeting was called for yesterday afternoon by Victor Kiriakis" Sami read, and looked at them. "Victor of all people. Could it really be true?"

"Malcolm came to see me yesterday" said Lucas. "Aunt Maggie sent him the message when he was with me. I'm pretty sure it's true".

"Why would she call Malcolm?" Sami asked.

"'Cause Malcolm's been investigating. He was called as a mediator".

"Sounds about right" EJ said, checking his watch. "So that should mean that that meeting is over by now".

"Yep" she said. "So that means we can breath normally now".

"I'm pretty sure Stefano will find a way to keep wreaking havoc" said Lucas.

"Father is too old for that" said EJ. "He's exhausted. Don't worry, no one will get hurt ever again".

* * *

A black car raced down the street, stopping sharply in front of the Kiriakis Mansion. The door opened, and Sonny was pushed out of it, still with the black bag over his head. He fell to the ground, and quickly stood up and took off the bag as the car left quickly.

"Damn you!" Sonny yelled at the racing car.

Panting, he slowly walked to the house.

He turned to the street, as if he feared he was being followed or watched. Seeing there wasn't anything suspicious, he opened the door of the mansion.

In the living room, Victor and Maggie were having some tea.

"Where the hell did you go?" Victor asked after he caught sight of him.

"Actually, I didn't get to go anywhere" Sony admitted. "I just... Had a walk".

"I heard a car brake abruptly outside" said Maggie. "Did you see it?"

"Um, yeah, it almost crashed another one" he lied. "They're both gone, though".

"I see" said his uncle.

"Anyway, I'm just gonna get a shower and leave again" he said.

"Where will you go?"

"To see Ari. I think she's with Will".

Victor rolled his eyes. "Whatever".

Sonny went upstairs, and Victor scoffed.

"What is it?" asked Maggie.

"This is the second time he arrives and acts strangely" he replied. "Something has happened and I want to know what".

"It's his life" she said. "If you keep being nosy, he'll close up more. Come on, he always comes to you when he needs help, doesn't he?"

"I guess you're right" he said. "I still don't approve too much of him and Will".

"Will never hurt Sonny by cheating on him" said Maggie. "He's a good man. Give him a chance".

Victor thought about it for a moment. "Just one".

Maggie smiled at him. "Thank you".

* * *

Will wrote and wrote and when he saw the clock on the wall his eyes widened in shock. Three hours had passed.

 _"Now this is some inspiration"_ he thought, surprised, as he read everything he had done.  _"Not bad. Hm, I mispelled my own name, heh"._

A few knocks were heard on the door.

"Come in" he called.

The door opened, and Malcolm entered the office. "Hey, Chad said you were here, I hope I'm not bothering".

"Not at all" he replied, saving his document, and standing up to greet his brother. "What's up?"

"There's a disaster down in the kitchen. I've never seen so much flour on the floor in my life".

"Yeah, Ari wanted cookies" he replied with a chuckle."What happened earlier? You seemed to be in a hurry when you left this morning".

"I actually was" Malcolm admitted. "I had a few errands to run and something to... Take care of".

Will frowned, and narrowed his eyes. "Why do I not like that tone?"

"What tone?" he asked innocently.

Will crossed his arms as he leaned on the desk. "What did you do?"

Malcolm rolled his eyes. "I may have kidnapped Jackson... Again".

"What do you mean 'again'? No, wait, what do you mean you kidnapped him?"

"It's a long story, man, kinda boring".

"Talk" Will ordered.

Malcolm groaned. "Fine, fine. Back to my first days in Salem, you were still supposed to be dead, and Jackson was following me everywhere because I looked a lot like you... And apparently I don't look my age".

Will frowned. "Go on".

"He hired someone to follow me, so I had him kidnapped and assured him I wasn't you and that he would be sorry if he tried to do anything again - We've talked about this!".

"Yes, we have" his brother nodded. "And the second time?"

"Ah, that was today".

Will glared at him. "I know it was today, why did you kidnap Sonny today?"

Malcolm rolled his eyes again. "Because he needed the warning".

"Warning?"

"You know, since you're all over the moon for each other".

Will stared at him for a moment. "Are you crazy?!"

"A little bit, it seems" Malcolm calmly replied. "Don't worry, he wasn't harmed in any way".

"He could press charges!"

"Chill out, Tweek, he's not a threat" his brother said, already a bit annoyed. "And he won't talk, he owes me".

"He owes you?"

"I saved his ass from landing in prison for killing Deimos, didn't I? And it's not like I kept him for too long".

Will pinched the bridge of his nose. "Dammit. At least he's alright".

"It was necessary" said Malcolm. "Now that you've rekindled your thing, I must ensure you're safe and he doesn't take any advantages".

"I guess" he replied, nodding in understanding. Until he realized something. "Wait..."

He looked at Malcolm, who had a small smirk on his face, and sighed instead of denying anything. "How did you know?"

"I didn't" Malcolm replied with a shrug. "You just made things easier, though. It explains a lot, to be honest. I won't ask for details, but you might want to be careful this time".

"I know Sonny" said Will. "I also know how to handle him. He's harmless, despite how much he tries to pretend the opposite".

"Kinda funny,eh?"

"Yeah" Will chuckled. "I, uh, I should go see him, then".

"Ok" Malcolm said. "But first, I should tell you something".

"What is it?"

"I'm leaving town".

Will's grin faded. "What?"

"Not for good" he quickly added. "But yeah, I'll be gone for a while".

"But why?"

"I got a call on my way here" Malcolm explained. "My boss. I got a new assignment in the Amazon. Gotta disrupt a group of radicals or something like that".

"So, you're moving?" Will asked.

"God no" he replied. "This is my home now. My father is here, my brother is here, my niece is here, my friends are here. I'll be back".

"It's just... I just got to know you" Will said sadly. "Everyone, they all had months. I got what, two weeks?"

"Almost three" said Malcolm. "But, hey, we can still be in touch. It's not like I'll come back and forget all about you. I mean, you're the reason I almost died... Several times".

Will chuckled. "When do you leave?"

"About now" he replied. "I'm sorry we couldn't spend more time together. But I do hope I get to see you in a better shape when I get back".

"Me too" Will smiled, and pulled him into a hug.

"Oh, gee" Malcolm said, with his voice muffled by Will's sweater. "For knowing me for a week you certainly love me a little too much".

"Shut up" he chuckled. "Take good care of yourself, will you?"

"I promise" he said, pulling away. "Well, I should get going. I wanna say goodbye to a few people before I leave".

"It's alright. Don't forget about Dad".

"Of course I won't. Can you imagine me if I forgot? Dad would totally flip" Malcolm said, putting his phone in his pocket.

When there was no answer, he looked up. Will was grinning like an idiot. "What?"

"For what I heard, you've never called him that" he replied. "This has got to be the first time ever since you met him".

Malcolm thought about it. He hadn't been paying attention to what he was saying. "I did call him that, didn't I?"

"You're so ours now" Will laughed.

"Yeah, yeah, don't mention it".

"I'm so telling him!" he called as Malcolm left the office. Will sighed, and lowered his voice. "Good luck".

* * *

When Malcolm got down the stairs, he was received by Ari, who had a little tray with a bunch of cookies.

"My, my" he said. "You're planning on eating all of those?".

"Nope" she replied, shaking her head. "They're for Daddy too".

Ari carefully put the tray on a table, took a cookie and gave it to him. "And this one's for you".

"Aw, thank you" he said, taking it and carefully taking her to the couch. "There's something you have to know".

"What happened?" Chad asked, as he came out of the kitchen, taking off his pastry gloves.

"Well" said Malcolm, acknowledging him but looking at Ari. "I am going on a trip and I won't be able to visit for a while".

"Why?" she asked.

"Um, well, it's related to my job, and I really must go. But I'll be back. I just wanted you to know".

"Oh, ok".

"I'll still call".

Ari nodded and hugged him. "I'll miss you".

"Me too".

Malcolm let go of Ari, who took her tray and went upstairs to meet Will, and Chad lead him to the door.

"So, another mission, huh?"

"Hopefully it won't take long" he said. "But yeah. Also, thank you for the support and I'm really sorry you ended up in the hospital twice".

Chad shrugged, as he opened the door. "I'm still alive, aren't I?"

Malcolm chuckled, and got out. "See you around, man".

"Take care" he replied, and closed the door, just as Will came downstairs with Ari. "He just left".

"I know" he replied. "I wanted to talk to you. Uh, sweetie, go watch TV, will you?"

Ari nodded, and went upstairs.

"You can use my room!" Chad called, and turned to Will. "So?"

"Well, I wanted to tell you something" he said. "You know how my life was before all this ordeal. How it was with Arianna..."

"Sonny, Will? Really?" he bluntly asked.

Will stared at him. "How did you know I was gonna talk about him?"

"It's pretty obvious" Chad replied. "I've been there since the beginning of you two. I can see, despite my reservations, the spark is still there. And I confirmed this the morning you snuck him out of your room and my house".

Seeing Will's face was redder than ever, Chad just laughed. "What, you really thought no one noticed? You're lucky Father didn't, we were still in war that day, and he would have killed him".

"Why didn't you say anything?" Will asked.

Chad shrugged. "I can't treat you like a child and interfere in your private life. It's not right. And because I got a soft spot for you I'll let the fact that you brought someone unwanted pass".

"Sorry about that".

"The heart wants what the heart wants. But hey, I promise I won't interfere, and I'll even tolerate Sonny's presence, but only if you promise me something in return".

"What is it?"

"You will always put her first".

Will softened, not even realizing he had felt a little bit offended in the first place. But he knew Chad meant well, and only wanted what was best for him. "My daughter is my priority. She will always come first, no matter what. I don't know what will happen with Sonny and me in the future, but one thing I'm sure of is that I will forever protect her from any harm".

"I know" said Chad, and patted his shoulder. "Then I'm one hundred percent behind you. I still want you to live here, though".

"I'm not going anywhere". Will smiled at him as they hugged. "Thank you for everything. You're the best friend I could ever ask for".

"I'm here for you the same way you were there for me" he said, smiling too, and let go of him "Now go, buddy".

"But I gotta take care of Ari..."

"I'll handle it. Go".

He gently pushed Will, chuckling as his friend went out.

* * *

Malcolm walked around the square.

 _"Now where the hell is he?"_ he thought.  _"He said he'd be here"._

Looking around, he finally spotted his father sitting alone in a table outside Mandalay. Sami and EJ had left him a few minutes prior, and he was distracted, reading the newspaper.

Malcolm approached him. "Hey".

"Oh, hi!" he greeted, lifting the newspaper in his hand. "I was just reading about you".

"Really? I'm famous now?"

"Well, no, but they do mention what happened this morning".

Lucas gave the paper to Malcolm, who read it. "Impressively accurate".

"I know, right?" Lucas chuckled. "So, why did you want to meet, Malcolm?"

Malcolm grimaced, as he put his hands in his pockets. "Ah, you're probably not gonna like this".

"Oh my God" Lucas groaned. "Who wants to kill you now?"

"No one!" he exclaimed. "Yet. Um, I got an assignment. I've been ordered to leave... Effective immediatly".

Lucas wasn't happy. "Oh".

Malcolm rubbed the back of his head. "Yeah".

"But you're coming back, aren't you?"

"Of course I am".

Lucas nodded.

"You get this is what I do, don't you?" Malcolm asked. "It's my job".

"I understand" he replied. "But promise me you'll take care of yourself".

"I will" he said. "You know I'm the best".

"Yeah, you are" said Lucas, pulling him into a hug. "Good luck, son".

"Thanks, Dad" said Malcolm, not even realizing what he had said again.

Lucas didn't say anything, for he knew better than to ruin a moment, but his smile had gotten bigger. Instead, he patted his son's back and pulled away.

"Don't take too long, ok?"

"Promise".

As Malcolm walked away, he realized...

"Dammit, I did it again!"

* * *

As Sonny walked, having gone out of the Mansion again, he checked his phone. Well, in fact, he pretended to check it. In his mind, he was rehearsing whatever he could come up with to say to Will.

_"Hey, Will, I was around the... No, no one would believe that. Um, hey Will, could we talk? I've been thinking about you... No, dammit, no! Ugh, um, Will, I still..."_

Suddenly, his thoughts were interrupted the second he bumped into someone: Will.

_"No time like the present to make a fool of yourself I guess"._

"Will" he greeted.

"Oh, um, hi" Will greeted, nervously.

They stayed in silence for a second...

"I was actually on my way to see you" they said at the same time.

"Oh, sorry" said Will.

"No, it's ok" said Sonny. "Why did you want to see me?"

"Why did  _you_ want to see me?" Will asked back.

Sonny hesitated. "Um, I was just hoping to talk to you".

"About what?"

"Uh, you, I guess. We haven't talked in a while".

"No, we haven't".

They stayed silent for another second...

"So how's life?" they asked at the same time again.

"Oh, heh" Will nervously chuckled, as Sonny did too.

"You first" said Sonny.

"I, um, first of all, wanted to apologize for what Malcolm did to you. Even though I appreciate his intentions I promise I had no role nor knowledge of that".

"I know" he replied. "Tell him he's, uh, forgiven, I suppose".

"I won't be able for a while".

"Why?"

"He just left for an assignment".

"Oh, I'm sorry".

Will shrugged. "He'll be back, I know. And what about you?"

"I, uh, was looking for you because..." Sonny sighed. "You know how I feel. I've been honest since day one".

"Yes, you've been" Will acknowledged. "Um, and, I don't want to rush anything, I don't want this to be ruined".

"I know".

Will gave him a small smile. "But I feel the same way".

Sonny looked at him. "You do?"

"How would I not? I mean, all I could think about in that cell were you and Arianna" he confessed. "You kept me sane during that time. And now, everything that threatened me is gone forever".

"Yet you still live in the DiMera Mansion?"

"I love the place. Regardless of the presence of perhaps two of the most hated people in Salem, it's also a place I get to share with two other people I love so much, my daughter can play there with her playmate, who I'm getting to know too, since he's now my godson. Eventually I'll have to leave one day, but so far, I'm happy there".

"That's ok" Sonny said, smiling at him. "Whatever you want, and whenever you want I'll visit... As long as Chad doesn't give me a hostile welcome, of course".

Will chuckled. "He's got our cousin to keep him in check. He also promised to be nice, so there won't be a problem".

"Alright then".

"So..." Will asked. "Are we...?"

"No" Sonny replied. "Not yet. But we could".

"What do you mean?".

Sonny grinned at him. "Would you like to discuss it somewhere else? Perhaps some lunch?"

Will looked at him, intrigued and amused. "Like on a...?"

"If you want" he replied, and offered his hand.

Will stared at him for a moment, and grinned too, taking it. "I'd love to".

* * *

Malcolm hadn't been in the Amazon since that fateful night several years prior. He wasn't sure how he felt about it. He wasn't in the same place, nor the same country, but the environment was so familiar. South America was almost totally spanned by rainforest after all.

As he and his team hid behind ferns, they clung to their rifles and watched the house where the radicals hid. As if he felt he had to, he got closer, but remaint hidden.

"Pst, Horton!" one of his teammates called in a low voice. "Not so close! You need plenty of space between you and the house to blow it up!"

"Shut up" Malcolm ordered. "I'm waiting..."

And, perhaps for the first time, Malcolm hesitated. Normally he'd throw the grenade, wait for the explosion and come out of the ferns, shooting right and left until the last enemy fell. But something was different. This time, unlike before, he had people waiting for him back home. This time, he had people he wanted to see again.

_"Oh God"._

"Having doubts, Malcolm?"

Malcolm, startled, turned around, and saw them. They were back once again. Tom and Alice Horton.

"Ah! What the hell!"

"Do not worry, Malcolm, they can't see or hear us, nor they can see you're talking to us" said Alice with a smile.

That seemed to calm him a bit. "What are you guys doing here?"

"You seemed to be in conflict with yourself" Tom explained. "We came to help".

"It's not even that big of a deal..."

"You are scared, Dear" said Alice, still smiling. "It is completely normal. During your past missions, you threw yourself to action for you had nothing or no one to lose, and no one was home thinking about you. You were alone".

"And now you have us" said Tom. "We are so thankful and proud for what you have done for our family. You are a part of us and we are a part of you. It is a link that will never break".

"That is the meaning of family, one of the many meanings the word has" she said. "You are our family, and we will never abandon you. You must succeed, for they are waiting for you".

"Go get them, son" said Tom, patting Malcolm's shoulder, as he and Alice faded away. "Go get them".

"Horton, it's time, now!" said one of his teammates, bringing him back to reality.

Malcolm snapped out, took the grenade from his pocket and threw it to the house, breaking a window and managing to make it land inside.

Two seconds later, the house exploded.

"Go, go, go!" another agent exclaimed, as the entire team got up and entered the scene, shooting their rifles to the radicals who had survived. Malcolm took a step and looked to the right. In a spot, Tom and Alice appeared again, smiled at him and disappeared.

Malcolm was ready. He grabbed his rifle, and entered the perimeter.


	40. Epilogue

_**Five years later** _

"Will! You still there? Come on, we'll be late!"

Chad tapped his foot over and over again as he waited outside Will's room, checking his watch.

"Oh, come on, it's not like we have to drive anywhere" Will said annoyed from inside the room.

"You wanna get married or not?"

"Fine, fine, I just need to do this bowtie".

"You can't tie a damn bowtie, let me in so I can help you and we can be downstairs in time!" Chad exclaimed in desperation.

The door of the room opened. Will was not amused. He wore a black tuxedo and had an undone bowtie around his neck, and was glaring at Chad. "I don't like to be rushed".

Chad smirked. "Twelve o' clock, Horton".

"Twelve o' clock?!" Will screeched, horrified. "Why didn't you say anything?! Help me NOW!"

He grabbed Chad's hand and pulled him into the room.

* * *

Lucas joined his mother outside the DiMera Mansion, in the garden. Kate semed to be lost in thought as she watched the flowers. Her son put a hand on her shoulder.

"Mom, you ok?"

"Yes, I am" she replied, getting back to reality, and gave him a smile. "It's just, it's been so long since a wedding happened here. I love how everything's been arranged".

"Yeah, it's beautiful" he said.

Kate turned to him. "You must be over the moon".

"How can I not be? My eldest son is getting married... For real" Lucas grinned. "I don't think it could get any better".

"Think again" said a voice behind him.

Lucas turned around to see a smiling Malcolm behind him. He wore a dark suit and had his hands in his pockets as usual.

"Ok, I was wrong" Lucas grinned as he hugged him. "When did you get back?"

"Like an hour ago" he replied, as he pulled away and hugged Kate too. "I had to change and leave my stuff".

"Oh, Will's gonna be so happy you made it" said Kate.

"Thank God I could" said Malcolm. "Stupid dictator couldn't surrender sooner".

"It could have been worse, you could have died when you went for that druglord" said Lucas. "At least you went undercover this time".

Malcolm shrugged. "I'm always in risk of dying. But I have the best team I could ask for. Not to mention I got a little help from our friends up in Heaven".

"Well, I'm glad you're here" he said. "How about we get inside?"

"Let's go" said Kate. "The wedding starts in half an hour"

"Do you think Will's ready?" Lucas asked as they went to the door of the mansion.

Malcolm scoffed lightly. "Knowing my brother, he's probably freaking out inside".

* * *

"Ok, let me just twist this and... Done" said Chad as he finally finished doing Will's bowtie.

"Took you long enough" Will said, pissed off.

"Hey, I'm just trying to help".

"I was ok on my own!"

"You want me to leave? Fine, I'll leave!" said Chad, turning around.

Will grabbed his arm. "Don't you dare. You'll be sorry".

"Oh, you wanna fight me?" he said, grabbing the collar of Will's shirt. "Alright, bring it on".

"I'm gonna kick your ass!" Will exclaimed.

Not that they were actually going to do anything. Someone started to knock on the door.

"Dad? Dad?" a voice called. "Dad, are you in here?"

"Oh man" Chad sighed, letting go of Will. "Come in, Thom".

The door opened, and Thomas, who also wore a small tuxedo, entered the room. "Hi, Uncle Will".

"Hey, Thom" Will greeted, smiling at him.

Thomas looked at them. "What's going on, Dad?"

"Oh, uh" Chad hesitated. "Uncle Will and Daddy were just discussing the last details on the ceremony, that's all".

Thomas raised his eyebrow. "Yelling?"

"Uh, don't worry, Thom" said Will, rubbing the boy's head. "I'm just a little nervous, that's all".

Thomas looked at him, unconvinced. "Ok".

Then, he turned to Chad. "Mom says it's almost time and everyone's here".

"Got it" he replied. "Tell her we'll be downstairs in a minute, ok?"

"Ok" said Thomas, receiving a kiss on the head from his father.

"Go, ring bearer" said Will, patting him on the back as he left.

Once the door was closed, Will covered his face with a hand. "Oh man, I'm so embarrased, what if..."

"Will, Will, you're stressed. It's ok" Chad said, grabbing his friend's arms. "Look, I'm sorry about before. I should have been more patient with you".

"No, no" he said. "It's, um... God, maybe I'm moving too fast. Am I moving too fast?"

"Getting cold feet?"

Will shook his head. "I know deep in my heart I'm making the right decision. I'm just feeling a little overwhelmed. It's been some intense weeks".

"Hey" Chad smiled at him. "You're so close to make it. It's what you want, isn't it? The happiest day of your life".

"It is" Will smiled. "Things have gone the way it was supposed to. It's all good now".

"I'm proud of you, you know?" his friend said. "You've gotten so far ever since you came back into our lives. You deserve this".

Will nodded. He didn't even noticed the tear that fell on his cheek until Chad wiped it away.

"You happy?"

"Couldn't be happier".

"Then let's get you married once and for all".

* * *

Inside of the mansion, everything was arranged beautifully. The living room had been decorated in such a way it didn't look gothic like always. While it had been meant to be something intimate, too many people had been invited. Who could blame the happy couple, their families were just too big.

At the entrance of the living room, were the ceremony would be held, an excited (and grown) Arianna just couldn't contain herself anymore, much to the dismay of her mother and amusement of her stepfather.

"Just calm down already" Gabi pleaded.

"Oh, come on, she's excited" Sonny said with a chuckle. "Her daddies are getting married. It's a big deal".

"Yes it is!" Ari exclaimed. "It's almost time. Where's my dad?"

"Freaking out upstairs" said Thomas as he approached them. "My dad's with him, though. I'm pretty sure they were fighting".

"Don't worry, those two can't" said Gabi.

"I know" he replied.

"Your uncle has a habit of getting too nervous when something's big about to happen" Sonny explained to him. "It's not a bad thing. I'm a little nervous too".

"Thom!" Abby called, approaching them. "What did your dad say?"

"He'll be down soon, oh" he replied, just as he caught sight of his father coming down the stairs, followed by Will.

"Alright, it's almost time" she said. "Are you ready, sweetie?"

Thomas nodded.

"Ok, Thom, Ari, stay with me" said Gabi, as Abigail entered the living room and JJ, Sonny's best man (again) joined them.

"So, are we all set?" Chad asked.

"We are" said JJ.

As they got ready, Sonny approached Will.

"Hey" said Will, smiling at him.

"Hey" he said, smiling back. "Are you ready for this?"

Will gave him a kiss. "Very".

They stared at each other, grinning, ignoring everything, in a moment that was just theirs...

"There he is!" a voice said, popping their bubble.

Will looked behind Sonny, and grinned even more when he saw who it was.

"Malcolm?"

Malcolm went to him, pushing Sonny aside to hug his brother. "Move, Jackson".

"Nice to see you too" he said, rolling his eyes.

"When did you came back?" Will asked.

"Today" Malcolm replied. "I'm really happy for you man".

"Even though I'm marrying Sonny?"

"Even though you're marrying him".

"Hey!" Sonny complained.

"I still love you" Will said to him, as Malcolm greeted the others.

"You better, eh?"

"Guys" said JJ, catching their attention. "It's time".

"I'll see you guys inside" said Malcolm, getting in.

"Alright, ring bearer and flower girl, ready?" said Gabi.

"Yeah!" Thomas and Ari happily replied.

"So" said Sonny, taking Will's hand. "Are  _you_ ready?"

"I am" Will smiled. "Let's do this". 

_**THE END** _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading!


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